Is this play-safe budget a sign that the prime minister is planning an early election? | Larry Elliott

There’s no real strategy behind this hotchpotch of measures. Andy Burnham may be parking the big decisions until he has a true mandate, says Guardian columnist Larry Elliott There’s no real strategy behind this hotchpotch of measures. Andy Burnham may be parking the big decisions until he has a true mandate Great hopes were invested in Andy Burnham when he became prime minister in July. He went big on the failings of 40 years of neoliberalism, emphasised the need for Britain to start making things again and promised growth in every postcode. Back in the summer, John Healey’s first budget was seen as an opportunity to start delivering on these ambitions, but it has been clear for some time that it wouldn’t do so.

The road to the New Jerusalem – judging by the chancellor’s “breathing space” package – will be a slow and arduous one. Healey has taken what he inherited from Rachel Reeves and performed some minor tweaks. Not so much a revolution as continuity Keir Starmer. As has been the hallmark of Burnham’s first 100 days in Downing Street, there was plenty of activity in the budget but the slew of measures – almost 100 in all – was a hotchpotch and had no real semblance of a strategy being fleshed out. Not many budgets linger long