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A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 9 March 2017
With tough part of Brexit ahead, UK marshals its resources

spending plan for the 2017- during the financial crisis.
18 fiscal year that he said “The only responsible
lay the foundations for a course of action ... is to
“stronger, fairer, better Brit- continue with our plan un-
ain” outside the EU. deterred by any short-term
The chancellor told jokes — fluctuations,” Hammond
some at his own expense said. “We will not saddle
— setting an upbeat tone our children with ever-in-
for a government ready creasing debts.”
to take on the biggest The caution over spending
change in a generation. came despite improved
“Our United Kingdom has a government finances.
proud history,” he told the While the latest figures from
House of Commons. “We the independent Office
have done remarkable for Budget Responsibility
things together. But we show government borrow-
look forwards, not back- ing during the 2016-17 year
wards, confident that our will probably be about 16.6
greatest achievements lie billion pounds ($20.2 billion)
ahead of us.” less than forecast, Ham-
While he promised addi-
tional funding to care for mond noted Britain is still 1.7
the elderly and mitigated trillion pounds in debt.
Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, center, and members of the Treasury steep rises in property taxes The Office for Budget Re-
team, pose for the media with the traditional red dispatch box outside his official residence num- sponsibility also upgraded
ber 11 Downing Street in London, as he departs to deliver his annual budget speech to Parliament, for some businesses, Ham- its forecast for economic
Wednesday, March 8, 2017. mond said that supporting
(Victoria Jones/PA via AP) Britain’s public finances growth this year, to 2 per-
ahead of Brexit means con- cent from the previous es-
DANICA KIRKA nomically painful exit from hearted moments belied tinuing to control spending. timate of 1.4 percent. But
Associated Press the European Union. That’s the dramas ahead. Prime Minister Theresa May it downgraded the outlook
LONDON (AP) — Britain the message the Treasury Philip Hammond ditched and her predecessor have for 2018 to 1.6 percent from
plans to save money while chief gave Wednesday in the dry delivery that earned presided over seven years 1.7 percent and for 2019
it can to prepare for a po- a budget speech whose him the nickname “Spread- of austerity to close a bud- to 1.7 percent from 2.1
tentially drawn-out, eco- confident tone and light- sheet Phil,” as he outlined a get deficit that ballooned percent.q
Tusk closing in on 2nd term as EU Council president

GEIR MOULSON official said that Chancel-
Associated Press lor Angela Merkel “appre-
BRUSSELS (AP) — Donald ciates the work” of Tusk
Tusk is closing in on a sec- and that he assumes he
ond term as the European will be re-elected Thursday
Union’s Council president with “overwhelming sup-
despite fierce opposition port.”
from Poland’s most influen- Most EU nations want quick
tial politician, a bitter rival approval of Tusk since
of the former prime minis- the EU is already facing so
ter. many issues that a drawn-
Tusk’s 2½-year term in one out succession process
of the EU’s most presti- would further damage the
gious jobs, as the chairman bloc.
of summits of the bloc’s The heart of the problem
28 leaders, ends May 31. appears to be long-stand-
An EU summit is due to ing rivalry and animosity
elect the president for the between Tusk and Jaro-
next term Thursday. slaw Kaczynski, the leader
Poland’s nationalist gov- of Poland’s governing Law
ernment, which has often and Justice party. Kaczyn-
been at odds with Brus- ski accuses Tusk of contrib-
sels and EU partners, has uting, through lax security,
proposed little-known Pol- In this November, 2016, photo, European Council President Donald Tusk reads a statement at the to the death of his twin,
ish EU lawmaker Jacek EU Council building in Brussels. German deputy foreign minister Michael Roth Tuesday March 7, President Lech Kaczynski,
2017, is calling for European Union countries to rally behind Donald Tusk as the former Polish Prime
Saryusz-Wolski to replace Minister Tusk seeks a second term in one of the bloc’s top positions, which will be decided with a in a plane crash in 2010.
Tusk. But by Wednesday, vote upcoming Thursday. Kaczynski told Poland’s TVP
diplomats from several (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo Info television on Tuesday
member nations said it was that Tusk is “totally unac-
clear that Warsaw has little land and has failed to pro- ginning of Thursday’s sum- option would be Tusk win- ceptable” for Poland, ac-
or no support while Tusk tect the country’s interests mit for a way to preserve ning by a large majority. cusing him of “breaking
has strong backing. in the EU. the consensus and have The diplomats spoke on the basic EU rules, the rules
Poland’s government ar- Malta, which holds the EU’s everyone back one candi- condition of anonymity of neutrality toward inter-
gues that Tusk supports the rotating presidency, will be date, but several other dip- since the issue was still un- nal matters of member
domestic opposition in Po- looking right up to the be- lomats said the most likely resolved. A senior German nations.”q