Premier Paula Cox yesterday announced the date of this year's Budget has been pushed back a week.However Ms Cox did not give a reason when she said the Budget would now be delivered on February 18 instead of February 11.In the Throne Speech she pledged to cut $150 million in Government spending this fiscal year. It is the second year in a row Government has postponed the Budget.Since 2000 the Budget has been delivered on the third Friday of the month seven times, including this year. It has been delivered on the second Friday of the month four times. Last year it was delivered on the final Friday of the month.Ms Cox did not respond to questions as to why this year's Budget has been delayed, but did say: “Government is confident that all will work together to ensure the National Budget is passed prior to 1 April 2011.”Last year, Ms Cox, who was Deputy Premier and Finance Minister at the time, said the delay would give Government “more maneuverability” during the testing economic times.Yesterday, the United Bermuda Party said Government should use the additional time to take advice from its opposing political parties and business leaders across the Island.And the Bermuda Democratic Party said the announcement did not inspire confidence.Acting Shadow Finance Minister Pat Gordon-Pamplin said: “If the Government needs more time to get this Budget right, then that's fine with us.“They've been getting a lot of good advice lately from the business community as well as the UBP and the BDA, and they should embrace the suggestions and ideas because the dangers we face are real and all of us want to do what is best for Bermuda.”Mrs Gordon-Pamplin said Government might have to “eat some crow” at the Budget, adding: “It has to recognise that its actions and decisions have played a big part in putting Bermuda in the economic hole.”The United Bermuda Party have previously said the public should not accept plans that ‘meet' the $150 million pledge through the cancellation of capital projects which have not yet broken ground or the postponement of down-the-road spending plans.“It is essential that the Government set an example people can believe in,” Mrs Gordon-Pamplin said. “Smoke and mirrors over spending cuts will not do it.”BDA spokesman on the Ministry of Finance, Michael Fahy, said: “The delayed Budget does not inspire confidence and could in fact demonstrate that the Premier is having a tougher time putting everything together. The fact that no reasons have been given for the delay is concerning.“Silence seems to be the staple response now to tough questions, which leads to uncertainty. “We, like the rest of Bermuda, can only wait with abated breath as to what will come. However we would like to know why the delay?”Useful websites: www.gov.bm, www.ubp.bm, www.thealliance.bm