Zombie Britain sees zero growth – and that’s the good news

Some surveys predict recession, but with pay and confidence rising, they may be wrong. That's the best we, and the PM, can hope for

Another year of stagnation beckons. Well into 2024, we'll see the UK economy lurch from side to side, like a zombie, unable to move forward. While the government wrestled with the fallout from last year's Liz Truss mini-budget and the Bank of England killed off what enthusiasm was left by raising interest rates, it was inevitable a sense of stultifying gloom would dominate this year. But now it looks like next year will be much the same.

Predictions from some independent economists and business groups even show that a recession in which the economy goes backwards for much of 2024 is more likely.