Challenges for Gordon Brown

  • Robert Chote

Published on 29 November 2004

This article was published in BBC News Online on 29th November 2004.

When Gordon Brown delivers his Pre-Budget Report on Thursday, he is likely to take a moment or two to remind us - however subtly - that the economy is now embarked on its fiftieth successive quarter of growth.

But although sustaining this remarkable period of stability is a genuinely impressive achievement, the state of the public finances may probably attract a bit more attention.