Britain is set to announce its latest budget today, looking to fix the public finances after emergency Covid pandemic support sent debt rocketing.
While attempting to bring down the deficit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is set also to confirm multi-billion-pound funding projects aimed at driving long-term recovery and reducing pressure on the state-run health service.
Finance minister Rishi Sunak delivers his tax and spending plans in parliament from around 11.30an, grappling not just with the pandemic but with problems associated with Brexit. "Today's budget begins the work of preparing for a new economy post-Covid," he is set to say, according to excerpts of his speech released by the finance ministry. "An economy of higher