UK PM Urges Britons to Fight Through "No Normal Recession"

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British Prime Minister David Cameron is painting an optimistic future for the country, calling on the people of the UK to show their resolve in a time of challenge.

As CRI's UK correspondent Tu Yun reports, Cameron's comment comes following word of slower-than-expected growth in Britain.

 
Although there has been a lot of talk that the UK economy may encounter a double dip recession, David Cameron insists better days lie ahead.

But he admits the good times are long in coming.

"This was no normal recession. We're in a debt crisis. When you're in a debt crisis, some of the normal things that government can do, to deal with a normal recession, like borrowing to cut taxes or increase spending - these things won't work because they lead to more debt, which would make the crisis worse. The only way out of a debt crisis is to deal with your debts."

Speaking on the last day of the Conservative Party's annual conference in Manchester, Cameron had originally planned to call on people pay off their credit card bills.

But the speech was later re-written to simply reflect that people are paying off their credit card debt in the wake of the financial crisis.

The early extracts released to media stirred up some controversy¹, given that most economists² preach the idea of getting people to spend at a time of economic slowdown.

The British prime minister is also asking the nation to show some "spirit," to help Britain emerge from the economic downturn.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog. Let's turn this time of challenge into a time of opportunity. Not sitting around, watching things happen and wondering why. But standing³ up, making things happen and asking why not. "

Cameron is also promising⁴ tax breaks for married couples and help with childcare.

"So let's see an optimistic future. Let's show the world some fight. Let's pull together, work together. And together lead Britain to better days."

But the better days may still be a way's off.

On Wednesday, figures released by the Office of National Statistics shows the UK economy grew 0.1 percent between April and June, less than the 0.2 percent most economists had predicted.

The ONS has also revised down the growth in the first quarter of this year, from half a percent to 0.4 percent.

The statistics bureau also notes that household consumption has fallen by over three quarters of a percent in the second quarter.

For CRI, I'm Tu Yun reporting from Manchester.