Budget Day

[andrec]

I was watching today's Spring Statement from the Commons and was reminded of how it used to be. In the 70s/80s, sittings began later, and consequently the chancellor would make his statement later. It would be covered by the BBC and ITV live, with audio from the Commons prior to cameras being allowed, and reporters relaying information to TV studios before audio was permitted. I disliked Budget day intensely, though being around in the 70s would have lived through some quite dramatic Budgets. The reason for the dislike was that children's programmes would be cancelled for that day and replaced by boring discussions of something I wasn't at all interested in at the time. I can't be certain, but I have the feeling that the Budget used to be held on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays, though I stand to be corrected on that.

[Richard1978]

I was watching today's Spring Statement from the Commons and was reminded of how it used to be. In the 70s/80s, sittings began later, and consequently the chancellor would make his statement later. It would be covered by the BBC and ITV live, with audio from the Commons prior to cameras being allowed, and reporters relaying information to TV studios before audio was permitted. I disliked Budget day intensely, though being around in the 70s would have lived through some quite dramatic Budgets. The reason for the dislike was that children's programmes would be cancelled for that day and replaced by boring discussions of something I wasn't at all interested in at the time. I can't be certain, but I have the feeling that the Budget used to be held on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays, though I stand to be corrected on that.

Sometimes children's TV was moved onto BBC2 if something important needed to be shown on BBC2.

[andrec]

I was wondering if programmes were moved to BBC2 on Budget day, but have no memory of that happening personally. For ITV there was no option to do that at the time, and I can't emphasise strongly enough how much it ticked me off back then. Taking away my programmes for a bunch of blokes droning on about GDP, money supply and VAT - the nerve! lol