LONDON — Britain is suffering a far deeper recession than thought, official figures showed Wednesday in a development that is likely to increase the pressure on the government to ease up on its tough austerity approach.
The Office for National Statistics said Britain’s economic output shrank by 0.7 percent in the April-June quarter, compared with the previous quarter. That was far worse than the 0.2 percent decline that economists had expected, and confirmed that the British recession has run into a third quarter.
The statistics office said the quarter was likely depressed by an extra day’s holiday in June to celebrate the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The wettest quartersince records began more than 100 years ago is unlikely to have helped either.
The figures are likely to be a blow to the Conservativeled coalition government, which on entering office a little more than two years ago put deficit-reduction at the heart of its economic program.
Business, Pages 30 on 07/26/2012