How can we have gone, in less than a month, from a plan to spray billionaires with free money to dire warnings of deep public spending cuts? It is another one of those bewildering turns of events that is the new normal in British politics. There is a simple reason why none of it makes sense: neither the old plan from Chancellor Kwarteng, nor seemingly the new plan from Chancellor Hunt, directly deals with the single-biggest issue facing the country – the cost-of-living crisis.
Before the winter has even started, millions are already living life without the basics or have cut back on them. Many have no intention of turning the heating on any time soon and anxiety levels are rising. And yet, despite this, the Government’s focus is much more on reassuring the markets rather than reassuring the voters. It was obvious to most people from the outset that the September mini-Budget was a gruesome misjudgement. But I am getting worried that Mr Hunt’s Halloween Budget could also be a horror show.
