GDP rise and a less scary outlook offer Rachel Reeves some rare cheer

Rachel Reeves rings a bell on a visit to a whisky distillery in Scotland this month. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The faster-than-expected UK growth in the first three months of the year is welcome news for a Labour government desperate to make good on its promise of kickstarting the economy.

Under siege from Nigel Farage’s Reform and under pressure from its own MPs over tax and spend, Labour will now point to the 0.7% increase in GDP over the first quarter as evidence the hard yards are starting to pay off.