How Hammond hammed it up: The quips in the Chancellor's Spring Statement to MPs
Philip Hammond - dubbed Spreadsheet Phil - tried to shake off his dry persona by peppering his speech with some jokes
Philip Hammond - dubbed Spreadsheet Phil - tried to shake off his dry persona by peppering his speech with some jokes.
Here are some of them:
In a jibe at John McDonnell famously brandishing Mao's little red book in the House of Commons:
'I wont be producing a red book today Mr Speaker, but of course I cant speak for the right honourable gentleman opposite'
Poking fun at his gloomy persona which saw some newspaper dub him 'Eyeore'
'I reject the party opposite's doom and gloom about the state of the nation...
'If there are any Eeyores in the chamber - they are over there (pointing at Labour)
'I meanwhile am at my most positively Tigger-like today as I contemplate a country which faces the future with unique strengths.'
On Britain's unique tech strengths
'Our tech sector is attracting skills and capital from the four corners of the earth.
'With a new tech business being founded somewhere in the UK every hour producing world class products including apps like Transfer Wise, citymapper, Matt Hancock
Hitting back at John McDonnell's figures claiming that transport investment favours the wealthy south rather than the north:
'He reels out the same wrong figures - I think he got the briefing from Russia Today'
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