Spring Statement: What to expect from chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech

Following the debacle involving the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) report leaking ahead of the Budget, there will be pressure to ensure the government is not blindsided once again. First and foremost, it should be noted the Spring Statement is always a lighter weight affair than a Budget. The Treasury has indicated Reeves will speak for around 20 minutes, versus a typical Budget ranging from 40 minutes to over an hour. The short three-month gap from the late Autumn Budget rather than a usual five or six months in itself is a reason to expect little substantial change. Cen...