Any chancellor can fire off forecasts, policies and measures, but the most impactful governments back it up with a bold political vision

Among the most famous definitions of narrative comes from EM Forster. “The king died and then the queen died” is a story, he said, while “The king died and then the queen died of grief” is a plot. The first merely recounts events, while the second smuggles in cause; it elicits a reader’s curiosity and empathy.

Doubtless Rachel Reeves will have much on her mind this close to her first budget, but once at the dispatch box she would do well to remember some Forster. Any chancellor can unleash a barrage of numbers and forecasts, tarmac an A-road or scrap a tax relief – or discover both a huge black hole in funding alongside a handy new measurement of government debt. But the most consequential governments have also offered a big political narrative.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.