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| UK government borrows £600m in July as tax receipts dip | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The UK government borrowed more than expected in July, traditionally a good month for tax receipts, the Office for National Statistics said. | The UK government borrowed more than expected in July, traditionally a good month for tax receipts, the Office for National Statistics said. |
| Borrowing to cover the gap between spending and revenue was £600m in July. There was a surplus of £2.8bn in the same month a year earlier. | |
| The Treasury blamed disappointing corporation tax receipts | |
| Labour said raising taxes and cutting spending "too far and too fast" had "choked off the recovery". | Labour said raising taxes and cutting spending "too far and too fast" had "choked off the recovery". |
| Analysts suggest the government could end up borrowing about £30bn more than last year, when official forecasts had suggested borrowing would fall this year. | Analysts suggest the government could end up borrowing about £30bn more than last year, when official forecasts had suggested borrowing would fall this year. |
| Four months into the financial year the government has borrowed £44.9bn, up from £35.6bn from the same period in 2011. That excludes banking interventions and the one-off boost in April from a transfer of Royal Mail pension assets to the public sector. | Four months into the financial year the government has borrowed £44.9bn, up from £35.6bn from the same period in 2011. That excludes banking interventions and the one-off boost in April from a transfer of Royal Mail pension assets to the public sector. |
| The Office for Budget Responsibility, the official UK economic forecaster, predicted that borrowing on the same measure would be £120m for the whole of the financial year, down from the £125m borrowed last year. | The Office for Budget Responsibility, the official UK economic forecaster, predicted that borrowing on the same measure would be £120m for the whole of the financial year, down from the £125m borrowed last year. |
| Policy pressure | Policy pressure |
| Labour said the figures were "a damning indictment of a chancellor who promised to secure the recovery and get the deficit down". | Labour said the figures were "a damning indictment of a chancellor who promised to secure the recovery and get the deficit down". |
| "[George Osborne's] failed plan has delivered the exact opposite - a double-dip recession which is leading to soaring borrowing," said Rachel Reeves, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. | "[George Osborne's] failed plan has delivered the exact opposite - a double-dip recession which is leading to soaring borrowing," said Rachel Reeves, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. |
| A Treasury spokesman said: "The government remains committed to the credible plan we have set out to deal with Britain's debts." | A Treasury spokesman said: "The government remains committed to the credible plan we have set out to deal with Britain's debts." |
| One economist said the figures would lead to further calls for the government to change course. | One economist said the figures would lead to further calls for the government to change course. |
| "We're going backwards not forwards," said economist Alan Clarke of Scotia Bank. | "We're going backwards not forwards," said economist Alan Clarke of Scotia Bank. |
| "It's going to increase pressure on the government to get back on track either by tightening fiscal policy further to make up for the lost ground, or loosening policy in the hope that stronger economic growth improves the public finances." | "It's going to increase pressure on the government to get back on track either by tightening fiscal policy further to make up for the lost ground, or loosening policy in the hope that stronger economic growth improves the public finances." |
| Weak economy | Weak economy |
| July is usually a good month for tax receipts, meaning the government normally makes a surplus, because it is the month that businesses make quarterly corporation tax payments and individuals' tax self-assessment returns are recorded. | July is usually a good month for tax receipts, meaning the government normally makes a surplus, because it is the month that businesses make quarterly corporation tax payments and individuals' tax self-assessment returns are recorded. |
| But some said this month's figures should be treated with caution as corporation tax receipts are affected by the temporary closure of the Elgin gas field due to a leak. | But some said this month's figures should be treated with caution as corporation tax receipts are affected by the temporary closure of the Elgin gas field due to a leak. |
| The ONS also warned that the timing of self-assessment returns - which are recorded in August as well as July - makes direct comparisons between years difficult. More returns that usual may be recorded in August, as the deadline is the last day of July. | The ONS also warned that the timing of self-assessment returns - which are recorded in August as well as July - makes direct comparisons between years difficult. More returns that usual may be recorded in August, as the deadline is the last day of July. |
| The previous months borrowing figures have also been worse than expected. | The previous months borrowing figures have also been worse than expected. |
| "It's the same story we've been seeing since the beginning of the year, that tax receipts are down, which is not surprising given the weaker growth performance of the economy," said Gustavo Bagattini from RBC Capital Markets. | "It's the same story we've been seeing since the beginning of the year, that tax receipts are down, which is not surprising given the weaker growth performance of the economy," said Gustavo Bagattini from RBC Capital Markets. |
| Tom Vosa, an analyst at National Australia Bank, said although the monthly numbers were "terrible", "the trend so far isn't disastrous". | Tom Vosa, an analyst at National Australia Bank, said although the monthly numbers were "terrible", "the trend so far isn't disastrous". |
| "Unless we see a further fall in revenue, the government could possibly still have a small undershoot for the fiscal year as a whole." | "Unless we see a further fall in revenue, the government could possibly still have a small undershoot for the fiscal year as a whole." |
| The Office for National Statistics said net debt - the sum of all borrowing - was now£1.032bn, or 65.7% of GDP. | The Office for National Statistics said net debt - the sum of all borrowing - was now£1.032bn, or 65.7% of GDP. |
| The ONS also revised the figure for how much the UK borrowed in the 2011-12 financial year to £125bn. The OBR had forecast £126bn. | The ONS also revised the figure for how much the UK borrowed in the 2011-12 financial year to £125bn. The OBR had forecast £126bn. |