Whoever else liked last week's budget, it was popular in the business community and the city.

The FTSE100 index of leading shares rose above 7,000 just two days after the budget.

This is important because it shows what the decision makers, or “movers and shakers”, thought of the Chancellor’s package of measures.

The budget, which was the last one before the general election on May 7, is always a great parliamentary occasion and this one lived up to its reputation - lots of cheers, waving of order papers and jeering of the opposing sides.

There were some jokes and Chancellor George Osborne delivered his quite well.

The reference to 'two kitchens' was a swipe at Labour leader Ed Milliband, who, to be fair, took it in good part.

Incidentally, his two kitchens have cheered me up. I can now refer to myself as a man of the people, apparently.

Anyway, to the content of the budget.

So much had been trailed beforehand that there were no rabbits being pulled out of the hat.

The increase in the personal tax allowance had been well trailed in advance but was welcome.

Time was when only wealthy people paid tax. The next target must be to raise the level at which National Insurance is paid. National Insurance is a tax.

Increasing the minimum wage for apprentices by 20 per cent was a sensible move.

The ability of annuity holders to cash them in makes sense, following on from last year’s move to excuse people from buying them in the first place.

The ability to move in and out of ISAs in the same tax year, without restriction, also makes sense. Anything that encourages saving is good.

A move which will help the environment is the abolition of paper tax returns, due by 2020. It will also save a lot of time.

In a speech lasting nearly an hour, there were many other measures, for instance, postponing the fuel duty escalator, due in September.

The Chancellor was obviously looking to the long term in his framing of the budget.

On a general point, this has to be welcomed, as there has been too much short-termism over many decades. It is to be hoped that a more thoughtful approach, as characterised by this budget, will become the norm.

How well this has been received by the wider public will be discovered at the General Election. We will not have long to wait.