George Osborne is a Roman emperor indulged in all his follies and fads | Simon Jenkins

As the chancellor delivered his eighth budget, we saw the hazards of a politician grown overmighty

The chancellor, George Osborne, is monarch of the political glen. From his Treasury fastness he commands all he sees. Those he favours prosper, those who displease him die. But in today’sbudget we saw him in more cautious mode. Last year he boasted of “a budget that takes Britain one more big step on the road from austerity to prosperity”. This year, with Britain’s growth forecasts slashed, neith...