GDP, a key economic measure of everything produced in the economy, expanded 0.3% in March, according to the data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Economists polled by Reuters news agency had predicted a contraction of 0.2%.

There was also growth in the first three months of the year, with expansion of 0.6%, ONS data also showed on Thursday morning.

It means the UK currently has the biggest GDP growth of all the G7 group of industrialised nations for the first quarter of 2026, though Japan has yet to release data.

Figures show we have right plan, says Reeves

The figures come with Sir Keir Starmer braced for a possible leadership challenge and could help the prime minister make the case that Britain is already on the right track as he battles to stay in No 10.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves was quick to suggest that they showed that now was not the time for the change and that the government had "the right economic plan".

"Now is not the time to put our economic stability at risk," she said. "To do so would leave families and business worse off.

"Instead, this government is getting on with the job of building an economy that is stronger, more resilient, and prepared for the future."

Why did the economy grow?

The growth came as production and construction held up well in the face of higher energy costs stoked by oil and gas supply disruption caused by the Iran war.

There had been fears that economic activity would be dampened by higher prices for people filling their cars or heating their homes with oil.

The March figures follow an increase in February, when GDP rose by 0.4%.

The latest growth is being attributed to a "broad-based" expansion in the services sector, the largest part of the UK economy, the ONS said.

Performing particularly well were computer programming and advertising, the ONS's director of economic statistics, Liz McKeown said.

The numbers are even better on a per-person basis, which removes the effect of population growth via immigration that can increase the headline GDP figure.

So-called GDP per capita is up 0.9% compared with the same time a year ago.

A note of caution

The strength of the figures, however, could have been impacted by companies' reaction to the Iran war-related supply disruption.

"GDP strength is exaggerated by front-running of potential supply disruptions and noise in some sectors," said economic research firm Pantheon Macroeconomics's chief UK economist, Rob Wood.

"So we need to be cautious about judging the genuine trend."

Economists still believe the war will slow growth.

Simon Pittaway, a senior economist at the Resolution Foundation thinktank said: "The war in Iran is set to slow growth, lower typical household incomes by £550 this year and increase government borrowing by £16bn by the end of the decade.

"All of which presents a challenging backdrop to any government reset."

Emergency services were called to the beach near Black Rock car park off Madeira Drive at around 5.45am on Wednesday to reports of concern for a person in the water.

There they recovered three bodies from the sea nearby.

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: "Following extensive enquiries, we believe we have now identified all three women. Their next of kin have been informed and formal identification procedures are now being undertaken.

"It would not be appropriate to publicly name the women before these procedures are completed.

"Their loved ones are being supported by specialist officers following their tragic loss."

An investigation is ongoing to determine how all three women came to be in the water. There is no evidence to suggest third-party involvement or criminality.

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays, investigating, said: "This is an utterly heartbreaking tragedy, and my thoughts are with the loved ones of these three young women after their devastating loss.

"They will remain at the forefront of our minds as we search for the answers their families, and the wider public, desperately seek.

"This is a sensitive investigation that includes a number of hypotheses, and it would not be appropriate to speculate as we to continue to gather evidence.

"I would once again ask for the public's patience while we establish the full facts, which will be shared publicly as soon as we are able."

He asked anyone with information to contact police.

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The National Crime Agency (NCA) unveiled the latest Operation Captura wanted list in Alicante on Thursday, targeting men suspected of offences including murder, large-scale drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering.

Officials said 98 of the 111 fugitives publicised through the campaign since 2006 have been caught.

Launching the appeal, NCA director general of operations Rob Jones warned: "Spain is not a safe haven for fugitives.

"If you run, we will not stop looking. We will find you, and we will bring you back to face justice."

He added that many offenders continued to commit crimes while evading capture and often attempted to "blend into large British ex-pat populations".

The men on this year's list are believed to have links to areas including Marbella, Malaga, Alicante, Tenerife, and Benidorm.

Among those wanted is Kevin Parle, sought in connection with two Merseyside murders, and Derek Ferguson, who is wanted over the fatal shooting of Thomas Cameron in Glasgow in 2007.

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Another fugitive, Simon Dutton, is wanted after breaching a Serious Crime Prevention Order following convictions linked to large cocaine importation operations, including one shipment with a street value of £1.5m.

The operation is conducted in partnership with Spanish authorities and the charity Crimestoppers.

The NCA said members of the public with information in the UK and Spain should contact Crimestoppers anonymously.

The most wanted list in full

• Simon Dutton, 49 - wanted by Greater Manchester Police over cocaine importation, money laundering, false passport offences, and breaching a Serious Crime Prevention Order. Believed to have links to Spain.
• Dean Eighteen, 48 - wanted by HMRC over an alleged £7.8m VAT fraud involving fake car exports.
• Derek McGraw Ferguson, 62 - wanted by Police Scotland in connection with the 2007 murder of Thomas Cameron in Glasgow.
• Philip Barry Foster, 50 - wanted to begin an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for fraud and money laundering linked to a bogus modelling scam operation in Marbella.
• Alexsandr Vladimirovich Kuksov, 23 - Russian national wanted by the NCA over alleged involvement in laundering millions of pounds of criminal cash.
• Spencer Dillon Lamb, 33 - wanted by Derbyshire Constabulary over drug supply and manufacturing offences.
• Liam Michael Murray, 34 - wanted by Durham Constabulary over alleged cocaine and cannabis supply offences, and possession of criminal cash.
• Francis David Parker, 40 - accused of involvement in the Coggins organised crime group, directing cocaine and heroin couriers.
• Kevin Thomas Parle, 45 - wanted by Merseyside Police in connection with the murders of Liam Kelly in 2004 and Lucy Hargreaves in 2005.
• Matthew Purves, 41 - wanted over an alleged conspiracy to supply multiple kilos of cocaine across the UK.
• John Rocks, 37 - wanted by Police Scotland over alleged sexual offences committed between 2012 and 2022.
• Charlie Salisbury, 34 - wanted over alleged cocaine supply and money laundering conspiracies.

Scottish Women's Aid has published a study on the scourge of coerced debt – where an abusive current or ex-partner builds up debt in their victim's name, either without consent or knowledge or through force, threat or coercion.

This research – believed to be the first focused insight into the problem in Scotland – revealed a "small but significant" number of women have been "pushed towards illegal money lenders, often due to extreme financial pressure".

Dr Jenn Glinski, author of the report and the national policy lead for economic abuse at Scottish Women's Aid, said: "Coerced debt is trapping women and children in abuse across Scotland.

"This report makes clear that it is not a side issue but a central part of how perpetrators exert control."

Abuse is 'widespread'

The report – commissioned by the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit and Trading Standards Scotland – described coerced debt as being a "hidden but widespread form of economic abuse".

It said such behaviour was a "common and deliberate tactic" used by perpetrators to trap women financially, restrict their choices and undermine their ability to leave or rebuild their lives.

The report added the women were having to "adopt financial survival strategies" to manage the debt, such as relying on family for financial assistance; going without essentials; selling possessions; taking on further debt; returning to their abusive partner; or engaging in unsafe or exploitative work.

It said "what survivors need is not short-term fixes but systemic change", as well as "understanding of economic abuse, recognition of coerced debt" and "survivor-centred debt relief".

Scottish Women's Aid is calling for a national campaign to raise understanding of economic abuse, financial abuse, and coerced debt.

In addition, the charity said economic abuse must be formally recognised as domestic abuse by justice authorities.

It also wants to see a Scottish coerced debt relief scheme introduced to help victims, which could "pause, reduce, or write off debts" owed to devolved public bodies, such as council tax and rent arrears, where they have arisen from domestic abuse.

Survivors 'held responsible' for debts

Dr Glinski added: "What is most concerning is that our systems are too often complicit and compound financial harm instead of providing support and solutions.

"They hold survivors responsible for debts created through abuse while failing to hold perpetrators to account.

"Economic justice for survivors means believing women, preventing further harm and ensuring they are not left to carry the financial burden of abuse. The costs of inaction are simply too high."

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Maureen Chalmers, chair of Trading Standards Scotland, said the report highlights that "illegal money lenders take advantage of people at their most vulnerable".

She added: "It is vital that we act against illegal lenders who target women facing coerced debt and economic abuse."

The Scottish government said it was "committed" to tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms and has invested £21.6m this year through its Delivering Equally Safe fund.

A spokesperson added: "In December 2025, we announced funding for the launch of a new national helpline, the Purple Phone, run by Financially Included to help women experiencing economic or financial abuse by their partner, and the Scottish government has committed to support this work until March 2028.

"This is alongside support for women and their children to leave an abusive partner through the Fund to Leave initiative. £2m has been allocated to it in 2026-27, which could help up to 2,400 women in Scotland."

If you are in need of support, call the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit on 0800 074 0878. You can also call the Purple Phone helpline on 0343 841 0132.

They will need to be at least 4ft (120cm) tall so they can be seen by biometric scanner and accompanied by an adult when the rule change comes in on 8 July.

Passengers aged under 10 are currently banned from using the gates, forcing many families to queue for passport booths.

Expanding their use to include children aged eight and nine means up to 1.5 million additional youngsters will be able to use them, according to the government.

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Migration minister Mike Tapp said more families would "experience a swifter and smoother journey home" this summer.

The UK has nearly 300 e-gates, which use facial recognition technology to check passengers' identities against the photo in their passport, which is generally quicker than manual inspections.

As well as the 13 UK airports with e-gates, children aged eight and nine will also be allowed to use them at ports in Brussels and Paris, where checks take place before boarding.

Border Force director-general Phil Douglas said increasing access to e-gates enabled "highly skilled officers to focus on intercepting those who pose a threat to the UK".

UK e-gates are available to Britons as well as nationals from the European Union, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the US.

They can also be used by members of the registered traveller service.