11 March 2020

Rishi Sunak hasn’t delivered a Labour Budget. This is something entirely new

In terms of public services, the Budget owed more to George Osborne than Gordon Brown, and on infrastructure it broke with both men.

By Stephen Bush

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer departs to deliver the annual Budget at Downing Street on March 11, 2020 in London, England. The government is presenting its first budget amid the economic pressure of the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier today, the Bank of England announced an emergency interest-rate cut to boost economic activity. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Hey big spender? Rishi Sunak has announced a huge increase in public spending. “How will Labour respond?” is the question of the hour. Sunak sounds more like John McDonnell than Philip Hammond, doesn’t he?

Well, up to a point. It’s not really accurate to see this dramatic increase as a move towards the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn or Ed Miliband, or even Tony Blair for that matter. As far as day-to-day public spending is concerned, this Budget is much more austere than anything that would have been delivered by McDonnell or Ed Balls, and is very far from what Gordon Brown delivered too.