Chancellor Philip Hammond is right to set a new economic course and ditch George Osborne’s constrictive budget targets
If Brexit uncertainty does trigger a downturn, Mr Hammond will need scope to help businesses and families
ONLY a mug would think Brexit will be plain sailing, for all Theresa May’s inspiring determination and optimism about it.
So Chancellor Philip Hammond is right to give the economy wriggle room and loosen the straitjacket of George Osborne’s ambitious budget targets.
It is true the Project Fear scares have so far come to nothing. Almost every indicator is positive, including the manufacturing surge reported yesterday. But if Brexit uncertainty DOES trigger a downturn, Mr Hammond will need scope to help businesses and families.
He must exploit rock-bottom interest rates too, and borrow to invest in infrastructure — specifically addressing the dire nationwide housing shortage.
That will help tackle the unfairness between generations he spoke of yesterday: the young, priced out of buying a home, and the old, many comfortably retired in houses they have paid off.
Mr Osborne originally intended to relentlessly cut our still-huge budget deficit and run a surplus by 2020. It was right then — but not now.
These uncharted waters post-referendum need greater flexibility and caution.
Mr Hammond looks the right man for it.
Harmed forces
“OUR legal system has been abused to level false charges against our troops on an industrial scale.”
Not our words . . . they’re Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s. But we agree with every one.
So it’s music to our ears that the Government aims to prevent Our Boys from being subject to the European Convention on Human Rights during wartime.
It is scandalous they are vulnerable to witch-hunts, fuelled by grubby lawyers, for their actions in the heat of war.
But that’s all in the future.
If Mr Fallon recognises the monstrous CURRENT injustice, why doesn’t his Government pull the plug on its cause: the Iraq Historic Allegations Team?
Its existence is an embarrassment to Britain — and a source of daily fear for hundreds of our bravest men and women.
Terror tactics
WHY shouldn’t the PM use our peerless anti-terrorism experts as a bargaining chip with the EU?
Theresa May says negotiations should include “co-operation on law enforcement and counter-terrorism”, the implied threat being that their services might be withheld.
Now look at the sabre-rattling on the continent as officials and politicians vow to make Britain pay over Brexit.
Why? To teach us a lesson and deter others from following suit.
They will inflict economic damage, both there and here, for political capital.
So if Mrs May plans to play hardball with them over our spooks, all power to her.