UK's Sunak sees 'hard times' as GDP slump worse than most of Europe       

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak departs 11 Downing Street, in Westminster, London, to deliver a summer economic update at the Houses of Parliament.

The UK economy suffered more than any major European nation during the coronavirus lockdowns, piling pressure on the British government to ensure the withdrawal of its support programs doesn’t derail the nascent recovery.

GDP plunged 20.4% in the second quarter, the most since records began in 1955 and roughly double that of Germany and the US. It also pushed Britain into its first recession since 2009.