‘Rishi’s recession’: Hunt’s headroom for budget tax cuts slashed by fiscal watchdog

The recession is another setback for Mr Sunak’s government trailing Labour in the polls by some 20 points, with the Tories’ reputation for economic competence having already been trashed by Kwasi Kwarteng’s September 2022 “mini budget” during Liz Truss’s brief premiership. It means the Prime Minister has only met one of his five key pledges, to halve inflation, with the others being to grow the economy, reduce debt, cut NHS waiting lists and “stop the boats” crossing the Channel.