Better than expected figures could still leave chancellor needing to raise taxes or cut spending in autumn, analysts say

An expert has told Rachel Reeves to do three things as business momentum has "slowed to a crawl" due to tax hikes after intially growing by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year. The Chancellor's policies have been compounded by the international trade environment after global tariffs were imposed by US President Donald Trump,

The UK economy surged by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of the year, official data has shown, suggesting firms boosted production ahead of Rachel Reeves's tax rises in April and the threat of President Donald Trump's tariffs.