Cash-strapped chancellor may find more money for levelling up

The chancellor is expected to find some extra money for “levelling up” in this week’s Budget. The Treasury is likely to be handed a short-term Budget windfall by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which is set to upgrade its forecasts to show stronger growth in 2021 and 2022. Rishi Sunak will use some of this fiscal boost to pay for key government priorities, with levelling up on the list behind the NHS and transport. Labour has warned the Budget will be nothing but “smoke and mirrors” as old spending commitments are repackaged as new. The FT (£) The Guardian