George Osborne delivered his fourth autumn statement this week with a keen sense of relish. He was able to point to improving economic growth - sharply adjusted upwards since March - and falling unemployment. He used the good news to taunt his opposite number Ed Balls but also made clear that there would be no letting up on his austerity measures.
However, in what he called a 'fiscally neutral' statement there was room for some tinkering. A planned fuel duty rise of 2p per litre was cancelled, there was a re-announcement of a new tax allowance for married couples and the lifting of green levies which he expects will save households about £50 per year on energy bills.
In this week's podcast we head down to the Resolution Foundation the day after the statement to see how the dust has settled. Tom Clark hears from Justine Roberts, chief executive of Mumsnet; Peter Kellner, president of polling firm YouGov; and from the Resolution Foundation's senior economist Matthew Whitaker.
Plus: we ask Robert Chote, chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, why his - and everyone else's - economic forecasts are always so wrong.
Also this week: we mark the death of Nelson Mandela at the age of 95. Guardian columnists Hugh Muir and Seumas Milne discuss his political legacy and the state of present day South Africa.
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