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UK Economy Flatlined in January Before Middle East Crisis
New data from the Office for National Statistics shows the UK economy experienced zero GDP growth in January, indicating stagnation even before the Middle East crisis escalated and threatened oil prices.
UK Economy Stagnated Before Middle East Crisis
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the UK economy saw zero GDP growth in January. This bleak data indicates that the economy was already flatlining well before Donald Trump's 'Operation Epic Fury' in Iran unleashed higher oil prices, threatening the outlook for growth and inflation.
Economic Data Poses Challenge for Policy Claims
This economic stagnation could undermine claims by Rachel Reeves that her policies have positioned the UK strongly to weather a potential oil price storm. The pre-existing weakness, now compounded by the threat of rising oil prices due to the Middle East crisis, adds significant uncertainty to the nation's economic outlook.
*Source: The Guardian World (2026-03-13)*
