British productivity is rising at last. But Brexit looms over the economy

LOW productivity growth has plagued Britain’s economy since the financial crisis. From 2010 to 2016 output per hour grew, on average, by just 0.2% a year, down from 2.5% between 1950 and 2007. In the G7 group of rich countries, only Italy has done worse. Productivity drives a country’s living standards in the long term. It is a relief, then, that the stagnation may at last be coming to an end. In the second half of 2017 productivity grew at an annual rate of 3.4%, the fastest growth since 2005.