In this episode, we take you inside one of the most closely watched moments in the UK political calendar: the Autumn Budget. How is it really put together? Who shapes it? What did the CBI push for in its submission? And with tough fiscal choices ahead, what should business be watching as the Chancellor prepares to deliver her second Budget?

Host Tracy Black speaks with Louise Hellem, CBI Chief Economist; Mohammad Jamai, CBI Director of Economic Policy and lead on the Budget submission; and Jordan Cummins, CBI Director of UK Competitiveness. 

Together, they unpack the political and economic forces shaping the Chancellor’s decisions - from fiscal rules to productivity pressures - and the competing demands of the Treasury, business, and think-tanks.

We go behind the scenes on the Budget-making process, explore the CBI’s four major proposals for driving sustainable growth, and look at the ideas gaining traction across Westminster. The team also reveals what didn’t make it into the CBI submission - and why strategic focus matters more than headline-grabbing asks.

Finally, we look ahead to Budget Day itself: what’s realistic, where the trade-offs may land, and which measures could make the biggest difference for UK competitiveness in the year ahead.

Produced in partnership with Coulson Partners.