Few Chancellors have ever been subjected to so much thoughtful criticism in the run-up to a budget. Economic commentators and analysts, serious bankers and businessmen plus – mainly in private – some of his own backbenchers: all of them agree that he would be wrong to put up taxes. There seems to be only one source of comfort for him; the old adage that a popular budget will always become unpopular six months later, and vice versa. Rishi Sunak must hope that this is still true.