It was the quickest shrinkage since 1980, the last time the country was in recession which highlights the severety of the situation. In the third quarter of 2008, the fall of 0.6pc, brought an end to the 64 consecutive quarters of growth in the UK. The total 2.1pc fall in GDP, since the second half of 2008 is also the biggest six month drop since records began.
A Tory government carried the country during the last recession of this magnitude, and the country will be waiting to see what the Labour parties solutions will be after two bank bailouts have come to nothing.
