Budget Preview - MPs in the East aren't expecting any surprises in the Budget

George Osborne will set out his fifth Budget. Credit: PA Images

Today George Osborne will set out his fifth Budget, billed by many as his last chance to put in place economic measures that could determine how voters make their choice in 2015.

So what do MPs in our region want to hear from the Chancellor?

Well most Conservatives MPs in the East say they think this will be a "workman like Budget", with George Osborne setting out growth in the economy but warning there is more austerity ahead.

Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson says the Conservatives have "more work to do" to "fix" the economy and believes voters would be surprised to see a give-away budget.

Braintree MP Brooks Newmark lobbied the Chancellor to reduce Employers National Insurance Contributions for those taking on new staff aged under 21. He would like to see George Osborne go further and extend the scheme to those under 25.

Meanwhile Ipswich MP Ben Gummer would like to see the Chancellor do away with National Insurance altogether and rename it "earnings tax", he says that would mean more transparency in the tax system.

Harlow MP Rob Halfon, who has successfully campaigned to keep fuel tax down, led a delegation to Downing Street last week calling on the Chancellor to cut 3p off fuel duty in this Budget. However popular that move might be in our region it seems unlikely, given George Osborne has already frozen fuel duty for the rest of this Parliament.

Meanwhile Labour say they welcome the fact the economy is now growing but say there is a cost of living crisis across the East and many are not feeling the effects of economic growth. Luton South MP Gavin Shuker says the average family is £1,600 worse off a year under the coalition Government.

This is the penultimate Budget before the next General Election in May 2015, any changes to tax and spending will be likely to come into effect just weeks before that election at the start of the financial year 2015/2106 and felt in the pockets of voters making their minds up ahead of that vote.