brown names 16 march for budget chancellor gordon brown will deliver his budget to the house of commons on 16 march  the treasury has announced.  the budget  likely to be the last before the general election  will be at 1230 gmt on that wednesday  just after prime minister s question time. the annual event is when the chancellor outlines the government s taxation and broader economic predictions. it is likely to set out much of the tax and spending battleground for the election  widely expected on 5 may.  next month s budget will be mr brown s eighth since labour came to power in 1997. if a may election is called  there could be as little as 18 days between the budget and the announcement of a date for the election. a shortened finance bill would have to be rushed through parliament with all-party support to allow the government to continue collecting revenue. the full finance bill  with the budget measures in it  would then be returned to the commons after the election  if labour secures another term in office. as mr brown announced the budget date in a short ministerial statement  accountancy firm ernst & young urged him to put politics aside and focus on the long-term requirements of the economy.  in the budgets that were given immediately before the last six elections  taxes were cut by the incumbent chancellor and  in many cases  taxes were increased soon after the election result   said aidan o carroll  e&y s uk head of tax.