article_snippet: With just weeks to go until the election, it is one of the flagship measures in a pre-election Budget that Mr Osborne yesterday said would feature 'no giveaways, no gimmicks'.
article_snippet: Other expected announcements include: .
article_snippet: - Another rise in the income tax threshold to around £11,000.
article_snippet: A review of hated business taxes to boost small firms and high streets.
article_snippet: - Measures to create a so-called Northern Powerhouse, with high-speed links between Liverpool and Manchester.
article_snippet: - Fast-tracking the building of 45,000 new homes at 28 'housing zones'.
article_snippet: A populist 2p cut in beer duty and another freeze in fuel duty.
article_snippet: - A crackdown on tax avoidance, including a 'Google tax' on multinational firms that try to avoid paying dues in the UK.
article_snippet: - A pre-pay travel card based on London's Oyster scheme to boost travel between major northern cities.
highlights_snippet: It is one of the flagship measures in George Osborne's pre-election Budget .