Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has ignited a political firestorm by boldly asserting that the UK is "no longer in a recession", contradicting official economic data showing the country entered a technical recession last year.
Controversial Claims Amid Economic Woes
Speaking to Sky News, the senior Conservative minister made the eyebrow-raising statement: "We're not in a recession... we had a couple of quarters where it went down very slightly." His comments directly conflict with Office for National Statistics figures showing the economy shrank for two consecutive quarters in 2023 - the technical definition of a recession.
Labour's Scathing Response
Shadow Treasury Minister Darren Jones delivered a blistering rebuke: "Grant Shapps is either completely delusional or deliberately misleading the public. The facts are clear - the Conservatives have crashed the economy." The opposition party highlighted that the UK remains the only G7 nation yet to recover its pre-pandemic economic size.
Economic Reality Check
Recent ONS data paints a stark picture:
- GDP contracted by 0.3% in Q4 2023
- Following 0.1% decline in Q3
- Marking first recession since COVID pandemic
Economists warn the road to recovery remains uncertain, with high interest rates and cost-of-living pressures continuing to squeeze households and businesses alike.
Political Fallout
The remarks come at an awkward time for Rishi Sunak's government, which has made economic growth one of its five key pledges. Political analysts suggest Shapps' comments may reflect growing Conservative anxiety about voter perceptions ahead of the next general election.
