Khan downplays UK economic growth figures

GDP grew a stronger-than-expected 0.6% in the first three months of this year, reports Noah Vickers, local Democracy Reporter

The government is “enlightening the British public” by hailing the UK economy growing at its fastest rate in two years, Sadiq Khan has claimed.

Official figures on Friday (10) showed GDP grew by a stronger-than-expected 0.6% in the first three months of this year, pulling the country out of one of its shortest recessions on record.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the data served as “evidence that the economy is returning to full health for the first time since the pandemic”.

But London’s Labor mayor played down the situation, arguing that many Londoners were still “really struggling” with rising costs.

Khan said: “I think the way Londoners behave – whether it’s businesses, families or individual Londoners – is not living life on a chart, it’s their experiences that they have.

“I have spoken to many companies over the last six weeks and will continue to do so who are really struggling with the cost of doing business. I have spoken to many families who are really struggling with the cost of living in London.

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“That’s why we have policies like free school meals, fee freezes, building more council houses and so on, to help them through this cost of living crisis.

“Anyone who thinks things have gotten better because we’re not technically in a recession, I don’t think they’re living in the real world – and the Conservatives are trying to make it look like things are very good now,” he said. a corner I think is in danger of enlightening the British public.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC later on Friday that while the UK economy had “real momentum”, there was still “more work to be done” and it would “take time” for people to “genuinely feel better”. .

Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the amount of goods and services an economy produces. Analysts had forecast growth of 0.4% between January and March, rather than the 0.6% recorded – which was the fastest pace of growth in two years.

Britain slipped into recession late last year after contracting for two consecutive three-month periods.

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