London: The British economy stagnated in April after the recession hit in the first quarter of the year, official data showed Wednesday that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be in trouble before next month’s general election.
Zero growth in April followed a 0.4 percent increase in March, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Britain’s July 4 election is expected to be won by the main opposition Labor Party, a victory that would end 14 years of rule by Sunagh-led Conservatives from 2022.
“There is a lot to do, but the economy is turning a corner and inflation is back to normal,” Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said in response to Wednesday’s data.
Keir Starmer’s Labor Party seizes information to defend Tory economic record.
The UK emerged from a short-term recession with growth in the first quarter of this year.
The UK economy contracted slightly for the second quarter in a row in the second half of 2023 and met the technical definition of a recession, which pushes up the cost of living due to rising inflation.
“Stagnant GDP in April does not mean the economic recovery is over, but it is not good news for the prime minister three weeks before the election,” said Paul Dales, chief UK economist at research group Capital Economics.
