George Osborne was handed a small early Christmas present after official figures showed the government borrowed less than expected in November. Borrowing was £14.1bn last month, £1.6bn lower than November 2013 and less than the £15bn predicted by economists. The public purse was boosted by higher tax receipts and a £1.1bn windfall from bank fines, according to the update from the Office for National Statistics. The better-than-expected figure in November meant that borrowing in the fiscal year so far, from April to November, totalled £75.8bn, £500m less than at the same point last year. The figures offered some ... (full story)