Will save the average worker about £75. But is that the budget rabbit that conservative backbenchers were after . The answer plainly is no, but the truth is, there was simply not enough money to deliver the cut in income tax they had demanded. After the measures announced today, the Office For Budget Responsibility estimated the chancellor has just £8. 9 billion of headroom left, down from the 13 billion he had in the autumn statement. That the second smallest on record, yet the chancellor gave us a relatively optimistic view of the economy, after covid, a war in europe, and the damage inflicted on the british economy economy this, he said, was a budget for long term growth. Todays obr forecast also shows that we have made Good Progress on the Prime Ministers three economic priorities. Compared to when the three pledges were made, inflation has halved, debt is falling in line with our fiscal rules, and growth is fully 1. 5 Percentage Points higher than predicted. Clamouring. And as g
welcome to the programme. it was budget day here in britain today. a big set piece annual event in which the chancellor stairs into the crystal ball, and tries to predict the future and how best to steer the uk economy through it. the obstacles in his way are common to europe and the united states. high inflation, higher interest rates, and since the pandemic, an intractably acute labour shortage. this graph trackjob vacancies across europe since august 2022, historically high after the pandemic, but you will see the uk, the red line at the very top, is struggling more than most. with 1.1 million vacancies. if more people are employed, more people are paying tax. the good news for the chancellor is that the uk will swerve recession this year thanks to growth returning by the summer. but the economy will still contract by 0.2%. and any brighter news, is tempered by slower growth over the long term. mr hunt said the uk would only grow by 1.8% next year and byjust 2.5% in 2025
Despite election promises from both major parties not to raise key taxes, the next British government is expected to face challenges in maintaining these commitments. Economists, including those from the IMF and major banks, predict that tax hikes will be inevitable due to economic pressures, weak growth, and high interest rates.