OBR shows UK growth flatlined in April as general election looms

April's data was impacted by the higher than average rainfall for the month which hampered consumer spending, the Office for National Statistics said today (12 June). Abrdn deputy chief economics Luke Bartholomew argue "a picture of solid recovery from last year's recession" was evident despite the month setback. Indeed, on an annual basis, the UK economy is forecast to have grown by 0.6% in the year to April, down from 0.7% in the year to March. However, April's data pushes back on prime minister Rishi Sunak's campaign message that " the economy has turned a corner". Going forward...