Lots of self-promotion. An avalanche of leaks. Fiddly tax changes that always somehow turn out to be an increase, plenty of creative double counting, and heavy spending on marginal seats, all wrapped up in a package designed to effortlessly transport its author into Number 10. Remind you of anyone? It is of course Gordon Brown, and one of his interminable Budget speeches, in his pomp. But it is also a pretty good description of Rishi Sunak.
The Tory Chancellor is quickly turning into the political equivalent of one of those bands hamming up Abba covers on a Saturday night: a Gordon Brown tribute act. The trouble is that the country could use something a little more original right now.
Sunak’s Budget yesterday was straight from the New Labour playbook. It was fiercely political, calculated to neutralise its opponents, rob them of any attacks, create telling dividing lines, wind up the extremes of his own party, and win over floating voters.
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