Session overview

The Chancellor has said there will be no formal Spring Budget this year, only an economic update. In practice, however, Chancellors rarely resist the temptation to make policy announcements when faced with new official forecasts.

In this session, David Smith, Economics Editor of The Sunday Times, will unpack the latest forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and explain what it tells us about the health of the UK economy. He will explore what the update is likely to mean for growth, inflation, public spending and taxation over the rest of the year – and how it sets the scene for the main Budget in the autumn.

You’ll come away with a clear, jargon-free understanding of the key numbers, the political and economic signals behind them, and what they could mean for decision-making in your organisation.

Key takeaways

By attending this session, participants will:

• Understand the main messages from the OBR’s latest economic forecast
• Gain insight into how the Chancellor’s update may influence tax, spending and borrowing decisions
• Explore the implications for organisations planning ahead in an uncertain economic climate
• Be better equipped to interpret future fiscal events and “read between the lines” of official announcements
• Leave with clear, practical points to watch for as we move towards the main autumn Budget

About the speaker

David Smith – Economics Editor, The Sunday Times

David Smith has been Economics Editor of The Sunday Times since 1989, where he writes a weekly column and also serves as a leader writer, assistant editor and policy adviser. Since 2016 he has additionally written a weekly economics column for The Times.

He is the author of numerous books on the UK and global economy, including The Rise and Fall of Monetarism, From Boom to Bust, The Dragon & the Elephant: China, India and the New World Order, The Age of Instability: The Global Financial Crisis and What Comes Next and Something Will Turn Up: Britain’s Economy Past, Present and Future.

David is a visiting professor at both Cardiff University and Nottingham University, and has received multiple awards, including the Harold Wincott Senior Financial Journalist of the Year, Economics Commentator of the Year and Business Journalist of the Year in the London Press Awards.

Who should attend

This session is ideal for:

• Board members and senior executives
• Finance, strategy and policy leads
• Directors and heads of service needing to plan in the context of economic uncertainty
• Anyone who needs a clear, accessible briefing on what the latest OBR forecast and the Chancellor’s update mean in practice

This session is designed to be clear, engaging and directly relevant to leaders making real-world decisions.