In his Spring Statement, the chancellor announced light at the end of the tunnel and hinted austerity may soon be over. He even managed to sound uncharacteristically optimistic about the state of the public finances, despite the uncertainties of Brexit.

But the statement didn't stand up to much examination. The wafer-thin growth figures won't make much of a difference to the lives of our citizens, many of whom are struggling in the face of rising housing costs, reduced local services and increasing job insecurity.