An end to austerity beckons, but the threat of recession resulting from a no-deal Brexit makes the chancellor’s strategy risky

As Sajid Javid prepares to deliver his spending round statement this week, Britain is yet again on the brink of another week of Brexit chaos. But in his debut Commons set piece, the chancellor will be looking to make another point to distract from the turmoil to mark a potentially pivotal turning point: the end of austerity.

Thanks to the hard work of people in Britain, he will undoubtedly say, the decade of fiscal restraint has now run its course. This is a big moment for the country: public services will get the money they badly need, and Britain will live within its means.