PHILIP HAMMOND provokes surprising emotions for somebody so bland. Brexiteers demonise him as the saboteur-in-chief. Anti-Brexiteers compliment him as a voice of sanity. But one thing all agree on is that he is one-dimensional: pro-business but averse to ideology,cautious but given to technical tricks, unimaginative, or plodding,parsimonious. What you see is what you acquire.
The same cannot be said of his Labour opposite number. John McDonnell is a hairs breadth absent from fitting chancellor. Labour reckons the government is so weak that it could collapse within a year. He also has the makings of an especially powerful chancellor. Mr Hammond is hamstrung by his poor relations with Theresa May, who made no secret of wanting to acquire rid of him if the June election had gone to plot. Mr McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn bear been joined hip-and-thigh for 35 years, or united both by shared politics and by complementary skills. Mr Corbyn is an idealist who cultivates an image of sanctity. Mr McDonnell is an...
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Source: economist.com