Bootle's Budget 2013 predictions

Chancellor George Osborne's Budget next week runs the risk of being a "dangerous missed opportunity" if he sticks to his guns on austerity, leading economist Roger Bootle (pictured) has said.

Bootle's firm Capital Economics, commenting ahead of next Wednesday's Budget, said unless Osborne and colleagues move to stimulate growth, the markets' fear that a low growth environment will damage the UK economy could worsen. Capital Economics' UK economist Vicky Redwood said: "Markets increasingly recognise that the main risk [to the UK economy] is the poor growth outlook. "This Budget may therefore prove to be something of a dangerous missed opportunity." Redwood said so far the government had given no indication of acting boldly to stimulate growth, highlighting the Prime Mini...