Public finances
Chancellors should not decide the contents of their Budgets in secret
The lack of scrutiny and debate around the Budget process is as worrying as it can be damaging.
Labour’s public spending plans are mere aspirations unless they are properly funded
John McDonnell’s speech left a worrying impression of retreat from his previous commitments to properly costing and funding policy proposals.
The Treasury must stop the government’s wasteful addiction to one-off funding announcements
The government needs to get a grip on how local areas are impacted by public spending as a whole.
The government’s spending round leaves many questions unanswered
It is encouraging to see the Treasury still showing some focus on how best to spend public money.
The chancellor’s tax strategy leaves many questions unanswered
Sajid Javid’s talk of a simpler, more efficient tax regime will be harder to achieve in practice than the chancellor's comments suggest.
How can Boris Johnson pay for his promises on tax and spending?
Boris Johnson used his first speech outside Downing Street to reiterate promises to spend more on police, schools and hospitals.
Sajid Javid must set new fiscal targets to guide tax and spending choices
The new Chancellor must quickly set some fiscal targets to guide the Johnson administration.
Sajid Javid has an immediate spending review headache
Ongoing budgetary uncertainty means Sajid Javid must quickly decide whether to attempt a full spending review this year.
The latest OBR figures highlight the need to make tax revenues sustainable
The new OBR report echoes the risks to tax revenues highlighted in the Institute for Government’s Taxing Times report.
OBR analysis can only help with no deal Brexit preparations
The OBR analysis of the possible implications of a no deal Brexit show what might lie ahead for the next Prime Minister.