Rachel Reeves sets early March date for spring statement as OBR prepares forecast
Rachel Reeves has set a date of 3 March for an early spring statement, as Labour attempts to draw a line under a year of tax speculation that business leaders blamed for damaging Britain’s economy,Announcing a date to prioritise “stability and certainty”, the Treasury said the chancellor had asked the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to prepare forecasts for the economy and public finances,Reeves has come under fire over the buildup to this year’s autumn budget after months of leaks, briefings and tax speculation contributed to a downturn in consumer spending and businesses freezing their investment plans,Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank in October, while the Bank of England forecasts that growth is on track to flatline in the fourth quarter,Business groups have also warned of a sharp fall in private sector activity at the turn of the year, with companies putting their spending decisions and hiring plans on hold.
Economists have blamed the budget speculation in part on the chancellor leaving limited headroom against her self-imposed fiscal rules – making her vulnerable to a deterioration in the forecasts for the public finances,The uncertainty also fuelled a sell-off in UK government bonds, driving up borrowing costs for the Treasury, businesses and households,At the budget in November, Reeves announced she would more than double her headroom to £22bn to guard against future shocks that would risk forcing her to make fresh spending cuts or tax increases,At the time, the chancellor also said the OBR would not make an assessment of the government’s performance against the fiscal mandate, and would instead provide an interim update on the economy and public finances,The Treasury said the government would respond to the OBR’s March forecast with a statement to parliament, in line with a commitment to deliver one major fiscal event each year.
“This approach gives families and businesses the stability and certainty they need and supports the government’s growth mission,” it said,Reeves has said the OBR will probably publish its spring forecasts before a replacement is appointed for Richard Hughes, who quit as the chair of the independent watchdog after its November budget documents were published online almost an hour before the chancellor’s speech,After a series of briefings and gaffes, the Treasury and the OBR are also undertaking leak inquiries,
Cosmopolitan Christmas: Stosie Madi’s French-African-Lebanese Christmas lunch – recipes
I was born in west Africa, and brought up between there, France and the UK in a French-Lebanese-British family. Unsurprisingly, then, our Christmas lunch was more than a bit diverse: my father always insisted on some British and Lebanese elements, while my mother contributed French dishes and technique; west African produce was also a must, because the house would be full of all nationalities, including our African family. Not only that, but our Christmas would invariably start with a guest list of about 20, and another 20 or so waifs and strays would always then turn up in need of feeding and watering. Today’s dishes were part of our regular seasonal festivities, as good in the sunshine as they are robust enough for a chilly British winter.Lebanese feasts always feature some form of pie, and sambouseks are tiny little ones with various fillings
From a showstopping pavlova to a £7 sherry: what top chefs bring to Christmas dinner
Looking for a great supermarket champagne? Need an easy recipe to take to a party? Or just some really good cheese… Yotam Ottolenghi, Giorgio Locatelli, Ixta Belfrage and others reveal the best snacks, drinks and desserts to make and buy for the big dayThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Christmas is a time of overwhelming choice, especially when it comes to food. So, to help you navigate the festive feasting, we asked 16 top chefs and cooks to tell us what they buy or make to give to the people brave enough to invite them over
A fresh take on wine pairings for Christmas dessert
It may well be that you already have a drink that you traditionally like to sip on after dinner (or lunch), and who am I to tell you that needs to change? Even so, I have a few ideas for drinks you might like to try instead.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Let’s start with the classics
How to eat, drink and be merry – while pregnant – at Christmas
For a festival with childbirth at its religious heart, it is perverse how much of our traditional Christmas spread isn’t recommended for pregnant women. Pre-pregnancy, this was not something I’d clocked. I was the soft cheese supremo, canape queen – at my happiest with a smoked trout blini in one hand and a champagne flute in the other. Then one day in October, two blue lines appeared on a test result and everything started to change: my body, my future and most pressingly my Christmas.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Jeremy Lee’s recipe for almond, chocolate and prune tart
A recipe box was rifled through, but, alas, much like shopping for a present last minute, nothing leapt to the fore. Out of the corner of an eye I spied an old folder of pudding menus, all stained and tattered. A wonder at how this might have escaped notice was soon dispelled – unsurprising, really, given the usual state of my desk and shelves – and the page on which it fell open revealed the scribbles for a midwinter pudding menu. And, just like that, as if the scent rose from the page itself, came a memory of an almond, chocolate, walnut and prune tart being lifted from the oven, all mahogany hued and with a few bubbles bursting from the pieces of chocolate among the prunes peeking out.My appetite for almond tart has never waned; be it in a restaurant kitchen or at home, an almond tart is nigh-on inevitable
Creme brulee and chocolate bundt cake: Nicola Lamb’s Christmas crowdpleasers – recipes
Even though our to-do lists are longer and our homes busier than ever, there’s something about Christmas that gives us the extra chutzpah to bake. And not just any baking, but baking for a crowd. So, with this in mind, here are two crowdpleasing recipes – a rich hazelnut “Nutcracker” creme brulee and a resplendent chocolate fondant bundt cake – with a few make-ahead and shortcut secrets to give you a head start.Serve this rich, decadent dessert warm from the oven in the centre of the table, piled with ice-cream (and perhaps pouring cream, too – why not? It’s Christmas!). The batter can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then baked from chilled; add an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time if you do so, though
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