I’ve never quite understood why “u-turn” is regarded as a term of political denigration. Given the mistakes governments make, recognising you got something wrong is more likely to merit praise than ridicule.

Winter fuel payments certainly represent a case in point. The worst that opponents could accuse Rachel Reeves of was that she had “u-turned” on this tricky subject. Well, thank goodness she has.

Reeves maintained that circumstances have changed so much that the u-turn now represents a model of safe fiscal navigation. She was bound to claim that and I don’t really care, so long as it allows a costly political mistake to be neutralised.

In fact, Reeves’ statement indicated quite a few “u-turns” which have headed the government in more recognisable Labour directions. Thank goodness for that too, I say. People voted for change and it needs to be more visible.

In the run-up to last week’s by-election, lots of voters were still angry about Reeves’ initial action on Winter Fuel Payments but not enough, as it proved, to change the outcome. Labour has had the sense to listen and respond with more positive messages.

The Chancellor was not just redistributionist in her commitments to health, education, housing and so on, which apply directly to England. She also spread serious investment around the nations and regions, on top of the record £52 billion to the Scottish Government.

Her England-only funding will lead to lots of “Barnett consequentials” for Scotland. Normally, these are taken with one ungrateful hand and recycled with the other as........

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