Why UK Chancellor should defer key fiscal decisions from budget

THE UK's young new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has re-confirmed the date of the March 11 budget after the possibility of postponement.

Yet, there are growing signs that key fiscal decisions may be kicked out, anyway, not least given economic uncertainty over the potential coronavirus epidemic. This is the right course of action at a time of such economic and political flux.

Another reason why Mr Sunak, who is only two and a half weeks into the job, is likely to postpone at least some of the more difficult decisions he faces is because of the "window of opportunity" offered by key fiscal events this autumn, including the Comprehensive Spending Review (CBR) which will set levels of public spending for at least three years.