Poll: Is the Budget bingo advert patronising?
A coalition row over a 'patronising' Budget advert has been triggered by Tory attempts to highlight the cuts to beer and bingo duty announced by George Osborne.
Conservative chairman Grant Shapps used his Twitter feed to unveil the party's advert, which claimed the measures would 'help hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy'.
The image was widely mocked on the social network and Liberal Democrat Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander described it as "extraordinary".
What do you think?
The penny off a pint of beer and the cut in bingo duty from 20 per cent to 10 per cent were minor measures in a Budget dominated by help for pensioners and savers.
But Mr Shapps attempted to give them greater exposure, encouraging people to 'spread the word' on Twitter - leading to a series of messages ridiculing the advert.
Mr Alexander said it was 'rather patronising' and 'demeans some quite sensible things' in the Budget.
"There are good reasons to be supporting bingo, there are good reasons to be encouraging our pub sector to be stronger - that's the analysis behind those measures," he said.
"This language, well that's for Grant Shapps to justify."
Twitter was awash with spoof versions, which included whippets, references to health care cuts and legal aid.
The hashtag #torybingo was trending with suggestions for number calling including 'Eton's Den number 10' and 'Bullingdon mates 88'.
The dispute over the advert distracted from Mr Osborne's radical reforms to tax rules on retirement pots and new-style flexible Isas where people can save up to £15,000 without the Treasury taking a cut.
