Hammond boosted by consumer spending and higher tax receipts

Shoppers ‘ignore Brexit’, while record employment levels contribute to £1bn deficit cutPhilip Hammond has received a twin boost after the latest official figures showed consumers ignoring the threat of a no-deal Brexit to carry on spending, and higher tax receipts leading to a fresh fall in the government’s budget deficit.Data from the Office for National Statistics showed retail sales – goods bought in shops or online – were up 0.4% in February, confounding C