How has Labour responded to a big-spending Budget?

Corbyn’s initial reaction was disappointing, but now the party is hitting the right lines, writes John Rentoul

McDonnell and Corbyn listen to Sunak delivering his Budget (PA)

Replying to the Budget speech is one of the hardest parts of the job of the leader of the opposition. By convention, it is the leader, rather than the shadow chancellor, who has to respond immediately.

It is especially hard because the chancellor has all the advantages, having worked on the Budget for weeks, knowing where its weak points are hidden, and is able to spring surprises on someone not used to debating matters fiscal.

So we should not be too hard on Jeremy Corbyn, who made a poor job of it on Wednesday. After Rishi Sunak had said, “Whatever extra resources our NHS needs to cope with coronavirus, it will get,” the Labour leader complained: “It is little wonder that people worry that the extra money for the health service is too little, too late.”