Facts

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, PM Rishi Sunak claimed that the IMF’s recent figures forecast that the UK will have “stronger growth than Germany, France and Italy.”

The day before PMQs, 23 May 2023, the IMF released new figures that forecast the UK to have stronger growth than Germany in 2023 and 2024. These figures, however, still showed UK growth to be weaker than France and Italy over this same period.

Verdict

Rishi Sunak was correct to state that the IMF forecast Britain to have stronger growth than Germany. However, he was wrong to state that British growth would exceed either Italy or France in the IMF forecasts. Mr Sunak has not corrected his false statement. 

According to the Ministerial Code,  “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.  Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister.” Rishi Sunak was misleading parliament in defiance of the Ministerial Code, in theory, a resignation offence.

We emailed Rishi Sunak’s office and Number 10 offering him the chance to respond. The email was received, but no reply.