Twitter
Bingo-gate could be the next pasty-gate.
After a surprisingly uneventful Budget, George Osborne must have thought he could rest easy tonight.
He didn't reckon on Grant Shapps.
The Tory chairman tweeted an unhelpful image on Wednesday night, with the caption: "Budget 2014 cuts bingo & beer tax helping hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy. RT to spread the word."
Osborne had announced that taxes on bingo halls are to be halved, from 20% to 10%, and beer duty would be cut by a penny.
It was prompted by the fact that the number of bingo halls had "plummeted by three quarters over the last 30 years".
And, probably, because the Tories thought it might be an attractive bonus for the working class, sorry, "hard working people".
The tweet could not have gone down worse.
The story continues after the slideshow...
George Osborne and his big red box
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(01 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holding the budget box stands with his Treasury team (2nd L-R) Commercial Secretary to the Treasury Lord Deighton, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Sajid Javid, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Nicky Morgan, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke (R) outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(02 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(03 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holding the budget box outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(04 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holding the budget box stands with his Treasury team outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(05 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures while holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(06 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (L) holds the budget box as his Treasury team (R) cross Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(07 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (L) leaves Number11 Downing Street holding the budget box in front of Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(08 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holding the budget box outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(09 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holds the budget box outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(10 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures while holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(11 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(12 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne walks out of 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(13 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(14 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne leaves Number 11 Downing Street holding the budget box on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(15 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne poses for pictures holding the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(16 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne leaves after posing with the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(17 of21)
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne leaves after posing with the budget box outside 11 Downing Street in London on March 19, 2014, as he prepares to unveil the government's annual budget to parliament. Osborne will spell out his government's spending plans for the coming year on March 19, with another dose of austerity likely to be offset by some tax perks. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(18 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holds the budget box outside Number 11 Downing Street on March 19, 2014 in London, England. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons later. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(19 of21)
British Foreign Secretary William Hague arrives in Downing Street in London, on March 19, 2014, as members of the media prepare to film and photograph Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne later Wednesday as he unveils the government's annual budget to parliament. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BRITAIN-FINANCE-ECONOMY-GROWTH-BUDGET(20 of21)
British Business Secretary Vince Cable (R) arrives for a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street in London, on March 19, 2014, as Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne prepares to unveil the governments annual budget to parliament. AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Chancellor George Osborne Prepares To Give His Budget To Parliament(21 of21)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: Kaya Mar holds a painting of George Osborne outside downing street ahead of the Budget on March 19, 2014 in London, England. Later The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will deliver his Budget statement to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. (Photo by Bethany Clarke/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Smelling blood, the Labour politicians piled in, and began the hashtag #LetThemEatBingo.
George Osborne Looking Like An Idiot
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