This week’s Budget is surely the make-or-break moment for Keir Starmer’s Government. Labour MPs are close to open revolt, the party is expecting a drubbing in 2026’s local elections, and months of Budget pre-briefing have led to a virtually unprecedented U-turn on income tax before the speech is even delivered.

In such circumstances, you might expect the Prime Minister to be spending the day before the Budget locked in with Rachel Reeves , going over the details and the delivery of the Budget in minute detail, given his premiership is on the line.

Instead, Starmer is once again focused squarely on foreign affairs – first reporting back to parliament on the events of the G20 in South Africa, and then hosting a virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” on Ukraine .

The realiti

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