Gosling's Grouse: Has the Chancellor come of age?

In a speech two minutes short of an hour, George Osborne at times sounded like a headmaster sending a young pupil out into the big wide world of work.

clock

In a speech two minutes short of an hour, George Osborne at times sounded like a headmaster sending a young pupil out into the big wide world of work.

Was he remembering his own final days at school when he was told about ‘earning his way in the world'? We may never know, but certainly for his third budget Osborne repeated on a number of occasions his desire for Britain to pay its way and tried to compare the country's economy with those of China, Brazil and India. And indeed he revealed that last year the UK exported more to Ireland than it did to the four BRIC nations combined and he committed to improving exports. But where are those exports going to come from? Sadly some of it will be more versions of Downton Abbey and what h...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Economics / Markets

Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Investor Confidence Barometer from Scottish Widows

Jenna Brown
clock 07 January 2026 • 2 min read
Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Uncertainty over the global economy and UK inflation rate

Isabel Baxter
clock 06 January 2026 • 2 min read
Inflation falls faster than predicted ahead of BoE interest rate vote

Inflation falls faster than predicted ahead of BoE interest rate vote

3.2% in November

Michael Nelson
clock 17 December 2025 • 2 min read