Economy shrink shock

Unexpected fall due to uncertainty ahead of Budget

- BY GRAHAM HISCOTT Business and Consumer Editor

BUDGET jitters have been blamed after Britain's economy went into reverse and shrank for the second month running.

Experts said households and businesses worrying about potential tax hikes in Rachel Reeves' statement dented spending and overall output throughout October.

The scale of the hit was revealed yesterday as the Office for National Statistics confirmed the economy shrank by 0.1%, when it had been expected to grow by that amount.