Government commitment in uncertain times

The chancellor of the exchequer, Philip Hammond, has delivered the first budgetary speech of his tenure. In a speech that sought to calm fears of an economic slowdown and amid heightened uncertainty relating to future Brexit negotiations, the chancellor set out his plan for the country. At its heart is a commitment to housing and transport infrastructure investment. The chancellor believes these are the most important areas for investment in order to demonstrate to the markets that Britain is open for business and will invest to support growth.

Our latest Economic Outlook explores the UK’s transport investment record over the last three decades and the spatial variation of that investment in recent times to show how some regions receive more capital than others. We also highlight the latest trends and forecasts across key macroeconomic variables from the Office for Budget Responsibility as well as summarising the headline Autumn Statement policy announcements.