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Budget 2015 live: Osborne hails 'Britain the comeback country' but Miliband says he will not be believed

Chancellor makes his last play to sway voters ahead of General Election

Hazel Sheffield
Wednesday 18 March 2015 11:51 GMT
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Britain's Chancellor George Osborne stands outside his official residence at 11 Downing Street in London, prior to unveiling the budget
Britain's Chancellor George Osborne stands outside his official residence at 11 Downing Street in London, prior to unveiling the budget

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George Osborne has delivered his final Budget speech ahead of the General Election.

* Chancellor's speech in full

* Sale of Lloyds shares 'will raise billions'

* Britain can 'walk tall again' - final pitch to voters

* Miliband: 'People will not believe' Osborne

* First-time buyers promised 25% top-up to deposits

* Budget 2015 at a glance: All the key points

Please wait for a moment while the live blog loads

UK economic growth has benefited from the falling price of oil, an uplift in European growth thanks to cash injections from the European Central Bank and a decreasing borrowing costs - three areas Osborne has had little control over, though he may well take credit for the improvement in our fortunes.

Fortunes have improved: the UK economy grew by 2.6 per cent last year. The last time growth exceeded this was before the financial crisis in 2006, when growth was 3 per cent.

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