With a grim Brexit budget, Hammond hushes critics for now

London

A GRIM Brexit budget that slashed growth forecasts but gave young voters a tax break on buying their first property may have placated critics of British finance minister Philip Hammond, at least for now.

Mr Hammond was under intense pressure from within his own Conservative Party to spend money Britain doesn't have on courting voters, though he is boxed in by uncertainty over the impact of Britain's March 2019 exit from the European Union.

Despite outlining a sombre outlook for economic growth and government borrowing, Mr Hammond announced some spending steps aimed at winning back voters, in particular abolis…