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AMENDMENT OF THE LAW

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Chancellor on his 11th, and what is categorised as his last, Budget speech. It may be that it was his greatest Budget speech—I will come back to why in a moment. It is perhaps a few hours since Members dispersed from the Chamber after the main speeches. I just want to reflect on the alacrity with which Opposition Members dispersed from their Benches. I wonder whether that was because, on the back of what my right hon. Friend said, they all realised, severally and collectively, that they will face another six or seven years of opposition.