The chancellor is expected to unveil plans to create ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley’ as she stakes government success on kickstarting economic growth

Good morning. Rachel Reeves is today delivering a speech on growth that has been subject to almost as much advance pitch-rolling and pre-briefing as you get for a budget. And no wonder, because she is hoping that it will do almost as much work, politically at least, as a budget. Although she has not had to unravel the mega, £25bn tax raising package she announced in October, it suppressed business confidence more than she expected and there now seems to be a Westminster consensus that she included a bit too much gloom powder in the cake mix.

Here is our preview of what Reeves will say today, by Pippa Crerar and Heather Stewart.