Autumn budget must show financial firepower behind ‘levelling up’ | Richard Partington

As the UK economy enters a rough patch, government needs to give substance to its flagship soundbite

Britain's economic recovery from lockdown is stalling and inflation is on the rise. With the approach of autumn, prophecies made earlier this year for a surge in consumer spending appear to have fallen flat, washed out by the wettest summer in a decade.

It was all supposed to have been so easy for the chancellor, Rishi Sunak. Lockdown had helped households save more than 200bn and left consumers champing at the bit for the reopening of pubs, bars, restaurants and shops.