Autumn statement
Liam Byrne interview: The welfare system is ‘completely out of whack’
Liam Byrne is a modernising, Blairite Labour MP, and in case you were in any doubt about that, he conducts his interview with Coffee House sitting next to a framed… Continue reading
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We’ve shown forecasts are unreliable, jokes OBR chief
‘We’ve done quite a good job at demonstrating the limitations of economic forecasting,’ half-joked Office for Budget Responsibility Chairman Robert Chote at the start of his Treasury Select Committee appearance… Continue reading
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Ed Balls says Labour will oppose the Welfare Uprating Bill
Ed Balls gave the clearest indication yet today that his party would vote against the government’s plans to cap benefit rises to 1 per cent rather than in line with… Continue reading
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Will he, won’t he? Ed Miliband makes noises about benefits war
Ed Miliband is ready to wage war with David Cameron and George Osborne over the Welfare Uprating Bill, which will see benefits rise by 1 per cent a year, rather… Continue reading
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Citi: Osborne “no longer has credible plans” to tackle debt
Britain will lose its AAA rating within 18 months because George Osborne ‘no longer has credible plans to put the debt/GDP ratio on a stable or declining path’ according to… Continue reading
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The public’s verdict on the Autumn Statement
We’ve only had two days to digest it, but the early signs from YouGov are that George Osborne’s Autumn Statement has gone down a lot better than his March Budget.… Continue reading
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Osborne’s ghost of Christmas future
There was plenty to welcome in George Osborne’s budget, from the proposed corporation tax cut to scrapping the 3p fuel duty rise. But to read Jonathan’s seven-graph summary is to realise that… Continue reading
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For the Autumn Statement, stability: for the mid-term review, ambition
After months of squabbling and not-so-civil war, the coalition now appears to be functioning again. This is one immediate consequence of George Osborne’s Autumn Statement. The Chancellor was allowed to… Continue reading
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The Autumn Statement in 7 graphs
1. Growth evaporating. The Office for Budget Responsibility once again downgraded its growth forecasts for 2012-13 and, for the first time, also did so for 2014-16. Despite that, the OBR… Continue reading
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A budget for the squeezed middle
Ed Miliband may have coined the term, but it seems George Osborne has the squeezed middle on his mind too. The overall effect of yesterday’s budget* was to take from… Continue reading
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Labour aims to change political dynamic around benefits uprating
It now looks almost certain that Labour will vote against the 1 per cent uprating for most working age benefits. Labour is pointing out that because this also includes tax… Continue reading
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If Britain loses its AAA rating, Osborne will lose one of his key attack lines
George Osborne’s admission that he will not meet his target to have debt as a percentage of GDP falling by 2015/16 has serious consequences for one of his central messages.… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement sketch: Sub-arctic Chancellor warms up the Commons
From our sub-arctic chancellor this was a rip-roaring performance. Using all the arts perfected by Gordon Brown, he dazzled the house with his Autumn Statement. A chancellor should never be… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement: How long can we keep skating on thin bond market ice?
In today’s Autumn Statement there was some great news on jobs and fuel duty, but it’s surrounded by a surreal atmosphere. We must still beware the bond market. Employment is… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement: Lord Oakeshott claims George Osborne dances to donors’ tune
The Liberal Democrats are keen to use today to show that Coalition works, but Lord Oakeshott is in a less charitable mood. I’ve just had a chat with him about George… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement: George Osborne moves into a stronger position
There’s a sense of satisfaction among Tories, and Osborne allies in particular, this afternoon. First, the Autumn Statement didn’t all leak out in advance. Instead, the Chancellor had some news… Continue reading
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Leaked Autumn Statement briefing for Tory MPs focuses on ‘global race’ and spending switch
I’ve been passed the Tory ‘lines to take’ for MPs to use in media interviews for the Autumn Statement today. As I blogged a little earlier, the words ‘global race’… Continue reading
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George Osborne’s race to persuade voters and colleagues to back his plan
George Osborne has managed, so far, to manage the run-up to the Autumn Statement far better than he did the Budget. There have been no cat fights across the pages… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement: What Osborne will say
Lower growth, bigger deficits, targets missed — that’ll be the backdrop to George Osborne’s Autumn Statement tomorrow. So what medicine will he prescribe to make it all better? As usual, many… Continue reading
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Autumn Statement: Downgrades R Us
How much trouble is George Osborne in? We don’t need to wait until his mini-Budget tomorrow, we already know most of it. And we’ll enter that peculiar Budget game, where… Continue reading
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