Few expected Britain to boom but the GDP figures will worry the Treasury

Rachel Reeves holds up her budget box last month. The UK economy has barely expanded since Labour swept to power in July. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

It was hardly surprising that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, declared herself “not satisfied” with the news that the UK’s GDP expanded by a measly 0.1% in the three months to September.

Few could have expected Labour to kickstart an economic renaissance from day one, despite its “mission” to deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7.