Budget 2017: grim growth forecast eclipses Hammond giveaways

Chancellor offers extra £3bn for Brexit, £2.8bn for NHS in England, and a mea culpa on Universal Credit

Chancellor Philip Hammond and his red box
Chancellor Philip Hammond and his red box

Philip Hammond delivered his Autumn Budget today with headline-grabbing promises to abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers, increase the housing stock and boost NHS funding, but a dark message underlined the Chancellor’s speech - the UK economy is weaker than predicted back in March.

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