Jeremy Hunt bounced around delivering his Budget, proudly declaring his commitment to tax cuts and supporting working families.
Another 2p was chopped off National Insurance and the threshold at which child benefit is removed was raised from £50,000 to £60,000.
But you don’t need to be a financial expert to know that the Chancellor’s version of events isn’t quite the whole story.
Because Mr Hunt is also presiding over a long-term stealth tax freeze to thresholds that is costing workers dear and his child benefit move merely kicked sky-high marginal tax rates down the road, rather than getting rid of them altogether.
Nonetheless, a tax cut and an extra £5,000 Isa allowance – even if it’s a slightly iffy, limited one – is not to be sniffed at.
So, was this an escape velocity Budget that puts Britain back on the path to growth?
Or was it too little, too late, from a Tory party that has sported successive Chancellors who have been keener to raise our taxes by hook or by crook rather than cut them – or even just keep thresholds in line with inflation.
On this week’s Budget special This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the winners and losers and go searching for the devils in the detail.
What is the NI cut worth to you? Will you get some child benefit back? Did pensioners deserve a tax cut too? With a failure to reverse his capital gains and dividend tax raid, what has the Chancellor got against small investors?
And will the British Isa be any good?
All that and more – plus a look at why Nationwide is buying Virgin Money and whether that’s good or bad for us all.
Israeli airstrike kills 14 in Gaza's refugee camp
Cowboys add veteran Royce Freeman, but running back remains a position of need in the draft
Emma Roberts makes a splash in sexy blue swimsuit and cowboy boots
Entire mall in Georgia is closed after 'shots are fired inside
Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes scratched with lower back tightness. Grandal starts rehab assignment
Travel boom sees 740 mln trips made in 3
Jiri Smejkal gets 1st goal, Senators beat Bruins 3
Exodus at GB News continues: Pip Tomson becomes third star to quit in just three months
Rose Byrne looks unrecognisable with a bleached blonde beehive wig on set of latest movie Tow
Rangers finish off sweep of the Capitals, move on to the 2nd round of the NHL playoffs
Sylvester Stallone breaks silence amid Tulsa King 'toxic workplace' scandal