Why is Sajid Javid making economic promises he can’t keep?

The chancellor’s target is confounding in the extreme, writes James Moore

Javid is targeting growth of 2.8 per cent – more than twice the current rate (Getty)

I don’t think I want to speculate,” is how Dr Arno Hantzsche responded when asked by The Independent why on earth the chancellor, Sajid Javid, would promise to more than double the UK’s economic growth to 2.8 per cent.

The principal economist for the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (Niesr) was speaking after that august body released its assessment of his prospects. It won’t surprise you to learn that it took a dim view of them.

The chancellor is widely expected to splash the cash in next month’s Budget in an attempt to put a little juice into an economy that has been showing some modest signs of life – with an emphasis on the modest.