Reforming Lawson or austerity Osborne: how will Sunak’s budget go?

A chancellor bent on trimming the deficit will face opposition from MPs, business and more this week

The Guardian view on pro-market thinking: ministers want it to survive Covid

Editorial: Historian Adam Tooze explains why, despite the pandemic, voters are still being told there is no alternative

Fears grow as UK factories hit by worst supply chain shortages since mid-70s

CBI survey of businesses reveals concern a week before chancellor delivers budget and spending review

UK public borrowing falls despite fuel crisis and supply chain issues

Stronger tax receipts and end to furlough scheme credited with faster than expected fall

Why are Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak at odds over net zero plans?

Analysis: PM has a long list of spending plans but chancellor is concerned about borrowing

UK manufacturers plead for more state funds to boost sector

Auto, aerospace, chemicals, pharma and food and drink lobby groups call for long-term strategy for industry

Why September’s dip in UK inflation may be a false dawn

Analysis: Covid support schemes have distorted official data and experts fear inflation will resume its ascent

The future of Europe is at stake in the fight for Germany’s finance ministry

A fiscal conservative in the job and a new era of debt limitation could spell disaster for EU countries, says professor of history Adam Tooze

Ignore the fearmongers: the 1970s are not coming back

Experts may invoke the specter of stagflation, but don’t look for a return of the economic conditions of the 1970s. We have too far to fall

Wales launches drive to keep young people in their homeland

Economy minister tells of ‘significant challenge’ of retaining and attracting talent to support country’s economy

Rishi Sunak’s Tory popularity slips as he fights Boris Johnson’s urge to splurge

Chancellor said to be keeping wary eye on inflation amid pressure from PM and Tory colleagues to spend

Southeastern is latest rail franchise taken over by UK government

Few immediate benefits likely for commuters as DfT takes over day-to-day running of latest service stripped of franchise

Tory austerity caused misery – and now they want to make it worse

Even though the human cost of a cruel policy has been confirmed, expect another turn of the screw next week, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

Sunak expected to confirm end to public sector pay freeze

Exclusive: Unions say if departments are not given funding to raise pay then in effect freeze will remain

It was Tory governments that created the low-wage economy – not immigration

Conservatives’ talk of a brave new world of high wages and high skills purposefully ignores how this current crisis came about, says Guardian special correspondent Felicity Lawrence