There were concessions, though only partial, on tax matters from CGT to non-doms. There were sops to business in terms of extra support for the small firms loans guarantee scheme and the enterprise investment scheme. Steps to encourage women entrepreneurs were announced. And while it's easy to sneer, I won't let that stop me. I can only laugh when I hear yet another minister pledge to slash government red tape on business. I have heard it too many times and seen it fail too many times over the last 15 years.

The chancellor was at his most convincing when it came to green matters. It may have been rhetoric (and a few hours with the Budget pack this afternoon should reveal more) but he did sound like a man who believed in what he was saying. A plastic bag tax was threatened (and backed up by a timetable), further cuts in carbon emissions were hinted at and the first carbon Budget was promised (and for next year to boot).

Full marks to  Darling for his performance too.

Following in Gordon Brown's considerable footsteps (he may have stumbled recently but he was always enviably sure-footed come Budget day) is a difficult task. And Darling acquitted himself reasonably well - despite the close attentions of the Tory frontbench.

George Osborne is too fresh-faced to appear threatening. But David Davis was leaning so far forward he looked as though he might nut the chancellor should he pass off any other Tory ideas as his own.