Hugh Dalton - First Man to Raise the Box

The Budget Briefcase

This year Gordon Brown is to reject the Gladstone box in favour of a new one made by three apprentices on a training scheme at Rosyth Royal Dockyard in Fife. James Callaghan, Chancellor from 1964 to 1967, also rejected the original box as being too small and had a new larger box made in brown leather.

New Labour, New Budget Box

The original red budget box went on display in the Public Records Office until Mr Callaghan's successor, Roy Jenkins, requested its return. (Later, Denis Healey also chose to use another briefcase when delivering some of his 'mini-budgets').

On Budget day, the Chancellor holds his Budget box aloft on the steps of 11 Downing Street for the media before setting off to the Commons to deliver the statement. This custom is believed to date back only to 1947 and Hugh Dalton, the first post-war Chancellor.

The briefcase sometimes contains nasty surprises for taxpayers but, in 1868, there was a shock for the then Chancellor, Ward Hunt. On opening the box in the Commons Chamber, he discovered that he had left his speech back at Number 11 Downing Street.