Britain's economy returns to growth more slowly than expected

GDP for May at 1.8% disappoints analysts expecting a bigger boost after lockdown

The British economy returned to growth more slowly than expected in May as coronavirus lockdown restrictions were gradually relaxed after the sharpest plunge on record a month earlier.

The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1.8% in May as the economy staged a modest recovery from April, when GDP crashed by a fifth during the first full month of lockdown.