The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement was delivered in an economic context of a European recession and high inflation in the wake of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. It was presented as a difficult and necessary exercise to restore confidence in the UK’s financial position.
The Chancellor described his strategy as a balanced plan for stability, following two broad principles: asking those with more to contribute more; and avoiding tax rises that most damage growth. He said his aim was to deliver a plan to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and rebuild the economy with stability, growth and public services as the priorities.