Another very political mini-Budget from George Osborne

A preview of James Forsyth’s political column in this week’s Spectator, out tomorrow:

Autumn Statements lack the drama and traditions of the Budget. Gladstone never delivered one, there is no Autumn Statement box and no possibility of a dram of whisky as the chancellor delivers it. But this year’s Autumn Statement was more important, and more substantial, than next year’s Budget will be: the Liberal Democrats are adamant that March is too close to the general election for the Budget to do anything other than update the fiscal forecasts and set out the duty rates.

The test this week isn’t economic but political. As with last year, the Tories have spent the autumn racing down a rabbit hole after a populist policy initiative: this time it was Ukip’s immigration policy, last year it was Ed Miliband’s energy price freeze. In both cases the Tories spent far too long dancing to their opponents’ tune and now have to steer the national conversation back to the economy and away from immigration and the NHS.