Bentley Reid's Paul O'Neill: No reason to buy UK yet

Problems 'not improving any time soon'

A recent YouGov survey found only 16% of voters thought the government was handling the economy well and only 11% had a positive view of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' performance.

Has today's Spring Statement improved things? Probably not. Not least because, as we expected, there were no major changes to tax rates and the chancellor kept her ‘self-imposed' fiscal rules in place. I say ‘self-imposed' because, the reality is, if you do not impose them yourself, the market will, as it takes fright at the lack of financial responsibility, imposes a higher interest rate and eventually says "no more". What the statement did do was remind us that the country's economic challenges are not improving any time soon. Spring Statement 25: Government looking at options...