Economy shrinks by 0.5%. Georgie is blaming the weather

[LadyBlaBlah]

A great opportunity for Georgie to repeat a pun of "we will not be blown off course by bad weather". He has said it 4 times already in a single interview. Seems a lame excuse - there is never just one factor.

He doesn't dare mention that elusive word confidence

Every single thing I ordered got there on time even forgotten jellybeans for the stockings I ordered very last minute.

I buy a lot of toys online and all the companies I use had a very generous guaranteed deadline to order by. Not one said don't order we can't deliver.

Where I live the roads were only unroadworthy for 3 days(2 if you had a deathwish). You just re-schedule or buy something different. I spend the same amount on everybody every year, a bit of snow won't change that cuts do.

Who are these people completely snowed in for 3 months ?

Nearly everybody I know planned to spend less for 2 reasons 1)they were broke already 2)they were worried about what further cuts are to come.

As I said on the other thread it's going to get a whole lot worse it can't possibly not. The gov really seem to think their slash and burn policy will have people moaning but still spending to fund the growth they want,not going to happen.

My concern is why the gov seem so surprised. Their lack of foresight is seriously worrying.

Nearly everybody I know planned to spend less for 2 reasons 1)they were broke already 2)they were worried about what further cuts are to come.

I agree with what Ed Balls said - "Don't blame the weather, Get a plan B FAST".

Well I ordered 90% of my shopping online and it all arrived safely so I can only conclude it's confidence that is the problem not the weather.
We were also given a lot of money for presents all of which was spent on big ticket items, I'm doing my bit.

Nice guy, so this was deliberate and according to plan? I don't think so. They lack vision about how their policies will affect the economy, unless they are setting out to mess things up even further. If so then they should be gotten out, asap.

Abouteve I totally agree, the phrase Loose Cannon comes to mind. It's quite scary to be frank.

Gideon?

Anyone who wanted to spend money on extra food and gifts would have found a way to do so.......If they have the money of course!

Some shops will have suffered and others, maybe local businesses will have done better.

He can't use the weather as an excuse.

I think the weather must have had an effect. Gideon probably believed the socialist weather doom-mongers, the "50 days left to save the planet" global warming evangelists. He probably made the common mistake of believing them, and didn't foresee the coldest winter since records began.

Nice guy, so this was deliberate and according to plan?

The figures we've seen for the end of last year are worrying, if you take out the cold weather then we had a growth rate of 0% and stagnation according the ONS. Inflation is far too high, unemployment is also rising and the borrowing figures for November and December were eyewatering.
I think everyone expected the recovery to be choppy but the problem is many of the economic indicators ain't looking clever at the moment. Hopefully the growth will increase when the ONS revises them in the coming weeks

I just cannot see that what they are doing is helping the economy or the deficit. Suppose time will tell.