THE UK economy grew less than first estimated in the second quarter, revised official data released on Monday showed, adding pressure on the Labour government.
Gross domestic product growth for the April–June period was revised down to 0.2 per cent from an earlier estimate of 0.3 per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.
Growth in the third quarter was unchanged at 0.1 per cent, the ONS said, extending a slowdown from the 0.7 per cent expansion recorded in the first quarter of the year.
“The economy is still pretty weak and is heading into 2026 with very little momentum,” said Alex Kerr, UK economist at Capital Economics.
Keir Starmer has faced difficulty in lifting Britain’s economy since his Labour Party came to power in July 2024.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves raised taxes on businesses in her first budget last year, a move that has been blamed for weak growth and rising unemployment.
She followed this in her November budget with further tax increases aimed at reducing government debt, this time affecting workers.
The Bank of England last week cut its main interest rate to 3.75 per cent after inflation eased faster than expected and as the economy weakened.
