Ministers questions. It is always a little different, the pmqs ahead of the budget. He has vacated the chair for the Deputy Speaker. She will be going through some of the notices ahead ofjeremy hunt, the chancellor, delivering his Budget Statement. He will take to his feet shortly and will probably speak for about an hour shortly and will probably speak for Aboutan Hourand shortly and will probably speak for about an hour and then it will be the turn of the leader of the opposition, keir starmer to respond. We will take both of those live and uninterrupted and we will then have reaction from the Chief Secretary to the treasury, laura trott, part of the treasury, laura trott, part of the Treasury Team and her shadow for labour. Here isjeremy hunt. Madam Deputy Speaker, as we mourn the loss of life in israel and gaza, the loss of life in israel and gaza, the Prime Minister reminded us of the Prime Minister reminded us of the need the Fight Extremism and heal divisions. I start today by r
previous predictions. it says the us economy is performing more resiliently than forecast and suggests the earlier than expected reopening of china after the worst of covid has boosted performance, but there is still a health warning that high inflation and interest rates will continue to weigh on global growth. here is the oecd s chief economist. global growth. here is the oecd s chief economist. some good news in the forecast chief economist. some good news in the forecast today, chief economist. some good news in the forecast today, the chief economist. some good news in the forecast today, the overall - the forecast today, the overall economy is improving. we expected it to moderate to 2.7% in 2023 and 2.4 in 2024, but it is low in terms of the growth we saw before the recent crises. a , the growth we saw before the recent crises. n, , ., the growth we saw before the recent crises. , ., , the growth we saw before the recent crises. , ., crises. many of the gloomy f
is hiuher stickier than expected, why? growth is higher than stickier than expected, why? growth is higher than we stickier than expected, why? growth is higher than we thought, stickier than expected, why? growth is higher than we thought, which - stickier than expected, why? growth is higher than we thought, which is l is higher than we thought, which is good, but unfortunately inflation is high and more persistent. we thought we would see headline inflation as a transitory phenomenon but it is persisting longer and inflation that does not move around as much is proving to be a bit more persistent, in a large part because labour markets are very tight around the world and there are increased wage pressures. world and there are increased wage ressures. ~ ., , world and there are increased wage ressures. ~ . , ., , pressures. what is the latest expeetation pressures. what is the latest expectation as pressures. what is the latest expectation as to pressures. what is the lat
that would be quite a symbol, wouldn t it? that would be quite a symbol, wouldn t it? , ., wouldn t it? and symbols matter, es. wouldn t it? and symbols matter, yes. particularly wouldn t it? and symbols matter, yes. particularly in wouldn t it? and symbols matter, yes. particularly in this wouldn t it? and symbols matter, yes. particularly in this overnightl yes. particularly in this overnight section of the results coming in and so many of the councils, only one third of seats up for election, so mathematically the likelihood of a change in control is much more limited than it is when an entire council is up but as we ve been reflecting you can still read a huge amount into a set of results, even in a council when nothing in headline terms is changed. but the party leaders, yes, they are looking at what we get to tomorrow and there s the predicted national show of the vote but also looking for symbolic places that point to change. not least places that can leap on the trai