Just keep calm, that’s all. By Simon Sweetman

Simon Sweetman thinks that we are talking ourselves into a recession...

Before the PBR everybody put in their wish lists to the Chancellor. In most cases these are a mixture of fairly sensible suggestions and special pleading on behalf of the groups they represent. Some of these can only be regarded in this context as ritualistic, since they run counter to government policy (sometimes to the policies of all possible governments) and are mainly included to make activists among the members feel good.