Select a language
“Which is the odd one out?” headlines the Independent, leading with photos of this year’s royal wedding, the unseasonably hot spring, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, an aging North Sea oil rig and finally Chancellor George Osborne. Answer - “The top four are held responsible for the economic mess but not, apparently, the Chancellor.” The London daily poses this riddle after the release of statistics showing dismal UK growth figures -- +0.2 per cent for Q2, -0.5 per cent and +0.5 per cent in the previous two quarters. The Office for National Statistics blamed the four culprits above – the royal wedding cost the economy approximately 0.25 per cent of GDP, or £3.5bn (€3.96bn) - but for the centre-left daily the guilty party is the Chancellor himself, whose “squeeze on public finances” and VAT hikes, are “recklessly choking off" the recovery.
Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!
It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.
Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!
