Sunak threatened by new winter of discontent after UK recovery fizzles out

Sunak threatened by new winter of discontent after UK recovery fizzles out

Rising prices, queues at the petrol pumps and a flatlining economy provide a sobering backdrop to Rishi Sunak’s speech at the Conservative party conference in Manchester on Monday .

The outlook was more promising only three months ago when the UK was recovering quickly from the lockdown restrictions imposed at the start of the year.

Sunak could then point to a growing economy and record job vacancies as justification to wind up a furlough scheme that staved off mass unemployment during the pandemic. But as activity has slowed, that decision has come under scrutiny.