Surplus ambitions raise some problematic issues

The main political parties have recently been fighting amongst themselves for the mantle of fiscal responsibility. But ambitions on both sides for a budget surplus exaggerate the influence politicians have over the public finances. And this goal could also have some undesirable consequences.

Subscriber content

Read this in full, free

Start a free trial and use one of your 10 free starter credits to unlock this piece.


Free. 10 articles. No card required.
By completing this form you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions for the provision of a free trial of Capital Economics' services. We take your privacy seriously and will not share your details with others without your consent. By providing your details, including your email address, you are consenting to Capital Economics sending you macroeconomic commentary and analysis. You can unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

Already a client or trialist? Log in to read this.