PMQs: Cameron slammed over 'omni-shambles' Budget

Prime Minister David Cameron has acknowledged that it had been a "tough month" for him, as opposition leader Ed Miliband branded the Budget an "omni-shambles".

At the PM's weekly question session with MPs on 18 April 2012, Mr Miliband attacked the decision to cut the 50p top rate of income tax and freeze personal allowances for pensioners.

"This Budget comprehensively fails the test of fairness and it spectacularly fails the test of competence," he said.

"Over the last month we have seen the charity tax shambles, the churches tax shambles, the caravan tax shambles and the pasty tax shambles.

"We are all keen to hear the prime minister's view as to why, four weeks on from the Budget, even people within Downing Street are calling it an omni-shambles Budget."

Mr Cameron rejected the charge, saying: "This Budget cut taxes for 24 million people, this Budget cut corporation tax, this Budget made Britain competitive."

He also drew attention to George Galloway's victory in the Bradford West by-election, which overturned a previous Labour majority of 5,763, and accused Labour's London mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone of tax avoidance.

In his first question session since the Easter break and George Osborne's Budget statement, Mr Cameron told the Labour leader: "You talk about my last month, I accept, a tough month.

"Let's have a look at your last month: you lost the Bradford by-election.

"You showed complete weakness when it came to the Unite union and the fuel strike and you've got a mayor of London who won't pay his taxes."

Mr Miliband's month had been "as ever, completely hopeless", the prime minister said.