News · 12 December 2025
UK Economy Contracts as Pre-Budget Uncertainty Takes Toll on Growth
The UK economy unexpectedly shrank 0.1% in October, following a 0.1% decline in September and flat growth in August. The Office for National Statistics data defied economist expectations of modest growth. Conservative critics blamed Chancellor Rachel Reeves for creating uncertainty through pre-Budget speculation and policy announcements. The contraction was driven by weakness in production, construction, and services sectors, with car manufacturing making only partial recovery from the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack.
Reported by LBC · How we write briefs