Iran war means government’s vicious circles tighten and darken

This means the narrowing and darkening of the vicious circle. A suppressed economy leads to a suppressed, restless and perhaps disgruntled electorate. A subdued economy makes trade-offs and choices about public spending even more difficult. And the wars (there’s Ukraine as well as Iran) led Lord Robertson to lash out at the chancellor, accusing what he called “non-military experts in the Treasury” of “vandalism”.