Damian Collins, 21/03/12

Conservative MP and member of Culture and Media Select Committee

We should have an ambition for a Silicon Valley in Britain based around and extending out of Tech City. The support of the government for this has helped to persuade companies like Google to invest in creative and digital infrastructure in the UK, rather than in other European countries.

Iain Anderson, 21/03/12

Director of Cicero Group

Ed Miliband is likely to have his face all over the newspapers tomorrow morning - unfortunately for him - sitting next to an image of Wallace as well as Gromit.

Dylan Sharpe, 21/03/12

Head of Media Relations, Countryside Alliance

A simple stat for you to start: there are four mentions of 'rural' in the Budget document released by the Treasury today (available here) and 13 for 'cities'.

David Nussbaum, 21/03/12

Chief Executive, WWF-UK

Today's Budget will prompt much debate in the weeks ahead about misplaced priorities, missed opportunities and the larger question of whose interests this Budget really serves. But from my perspective, the Chancellor has failed to put the green economy where it should be - firmly at the centre of a plan for growth.

Phil McCabe, 20/03/12

Media and PR Officer, Forum of Private Business

There's absolutely no doubt that history will remember today's Budget as something of a crossroads for the country in an economic sense.

Dr Katherine Rake, 20/03/12

CEO, Family and Parenting Institute

The Chancellor has taken so much away from family pockets. Now it's time for him to give something back. The Budget 2012 must be one which strengthens family life. It can't be a 'Break-Up Budget.'

Callum Jones, 21/03/12

Political Blogger and Writer

Coalition budget discussions have not been carried out behind closed doors. They have been testing the waters during these conversations by 'briefing' the press. This is obviously nothing like leaking, which has a completely different name.

Damian Collins, 19/03/12

Conservative MP and member of Culture and Media Select Committee

If I could make two recommendations for George Osborne to support growth in the creative sector it would be to introduce tax credits for video games and high end TV production in the UK, similar to those that have been enjoyed by the film industry for the last 20 years.

Dapo Adesanya, 20/03/12

Business and policy aficionado at Enterprisestreet.com

The choice before African leaders is clear, tackle this scourge of youth unemployment and enter into the next decade confident. Or do nothing. Lessons from history tells me they would do the latter. The young people are hoping they will be bold and do the former.

Rupert Wolfe-Murray, 20/03/12

Editor at Castle Craig addiction rehab clinic

Out of all the addictions, gambling is the one that results in the most suicides. "It's a disease that kills" says Dr Timothy Fong, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA, "25% of gamblers who have entered treatment have tried to kill themselves."

Daniel Chandler, 20/03/12

Senior Research and Policy Analyst at Resolution Foundation

With rising prices and historically low wage growth the Chancellor is right to highlight support for working families. Reversing planned cuts to WTC is clearly the most efficient way to help low and to income households. But will the Chancellor deliver?

Labour Party Worker, 19/03/12

A senior Labour party worker at Westminster

In the week of the budget, Labour has little economic credibility and is rightfully trailing the Tories on who would run the economy better. While I believe that Osborne has made many wrong choices on the economy, Labour has consistently been out of line with and detached from the economic reality.

Olivia Warham, 19/03/12

Director of Waging Peace

If Eleanor Roosevelt, the dynamic force behind the foundation of the United Nations, could see what is happening in Syria right now, no doubt she would weep.

Jo Cartwright, 19/03/12

Press and Campaigns Manager for Dignity in Dying

The legalisation, or not, of assisted dying is likely to affect us all and the choices we are allowed to make when we face the end of our lives.

Andrew Flintoff, 19/03/12

Cricketer

I grew up in Preston next to four housing estates and went to a school notorious for crime. A lot of the kids in my neighbourhood spent their time hanging around the streets nicking stuff and getting into trouble. For me it was all about the cricket. I believe that sport gives you purpose and direction and a sense of being part of a team. It's obviously far better to focus on something positive, as opposed to something destructive. Sport makes you feel good and proud.

Greg Jenner, 16/03/12

Historical Consultant to CBBC’s multi-award winning sketch show Horrible Histories

We are often told that we should learn from history, but this pedagogy usually deals in only the moral lessons associated with human and civic progress. However, much like an innocent child imitating his swearing older brother, I thought it would be much more fun to compile a short list of totally useless and inappropriate lessons from history that would undo all of our good work as a society. So, here for your ironic consumption are some terrible, horrible, idiotic ideas for improving our nation...

Iain Anderson, 18/03/12

Director of Cicero Group

The headline this Chancellor always wants remains: "We are all in this together". This Budget looks like being a substantive speech. But with the final package still to be agreed the spin doctors will be gearing up for overdrive with their 'freshly baked' rather than 'warm' words.