The chancellor is caught between ministers who want to spend more as he prepares for a fiscally conservative budget
So smoothly and swiftly has Rishi Sunak risen through the Tory ranks that by the time he reached Westminster, the only blot on his political copybook was a conspicuous pair of blue wellies.
Having unexpectedly won the right to contest the ultra-safe Yorkshire seat of Richmond at the 2015 election, Sunak was soon to be seen tramping through his new countryside constituency as he made the seamless switch from Mayfair hedge fund manager to Tory election candidate. Yet his colourful footwear marked him out as a city newcomer to the amused shire Tories in the seat.
