lets start with the reasons behind this. things like bank holidays strikes, how important are they? they are important and they can have a push and pull impact on these figures. we tend to see a boost to pub and restaurant although that wasn t the case in may, on the other hand, we tend to see it has a negative impact on manufacturing and construction activity because of those extra days off which is exactly what we did see in may. there is no doubt that the bank holidays had an impact and resort services was pretty much flat in may. we saw human health was a bit stronger because there weren t any strike day byjunior doctors but there was an increase in the output for arts and entertainment. that s partly because of the bank holidays. it was a bit of a mixed report but as you say, we saw a contraction in may, a bit better than expected. but matt lets pick up on those pay deals. , . ., ., matt lets pick up on those pay deals. , . . . , deals. they have agreed a pay rise, what
that we have returned to negative growth? that we have returned to negative urowth? , that we have returned to negative . rowth? , ., . ., , that we have returned to negative urowth? , ., , , . growth? they were actually expecting 0.396 contraction growth? they were actually expecting 0.396 contraction during growth? they were actually expecting 0.396 contraction during may, - growth? they were actually expecting 0.396 contraction during may, due - growth? they were actually expecting 0.396 contraction during may, due to l 0.3% contraction during may, due to the impact of the extra bank holiday related to the coronation. pretty mixed bag. it is not great overall. if you look at the numbers over the last three months, the uk economy essentially flatlined, as you said in your preamble. the uk economy is barely larger than it was four years ago, pre covid. it s not looking great, and if you look at what the markets think in terms of longer term growth for the uk economy, the
this time last year, we were seeing clear signs that ukraine s much heralded summer offensive wasn t doing very well. russia had had plenty of time to prepare its defences and ukraine simply couldn t break through them. the next phase, inevitably, would be a russian spring offensive, after the snow and mud of the winter gave way to firmer ground under the tracks and wheels of the tanks and armoured personnel carriers. ukraine s supporters around the world were nervous. might this be the moment when russia came crashing back, recapturing the ground it had lost and even maybe threatening kyiv, the ukrainian capital? the delays in getting the big us support package through seemed to make things much worse. and yet it hasn t happened. russia has made some gains, admittedly, but there s been no actual breakthrough. the bbc ukraine correspondent, james waterhouse, is back in london briefly, and i asked him for his view of what was happening. after ukraine weathered that initialstor
of that competition. this time last year, we were seeing clear signs that ukraine s much heralded summer offensive wasn t doing very well. russia had had plenty of time to prepare its defences and ukraine simply couldn t break through them. the next phase, inevitably, would be a russian spring offensive, after the snow and mud of the winter gave way to firmer ground under the tracks and wheels of the tanks and armoured personnel carriers. ukraine s supporters around the world were nervous. might this be the moment when russia came crashing back, recapturing the ground it had lost and even maybe threatening kyiv, the ukrainian capital? the delays in getting the big us support package through seemed to make things much worse. and yet it hasn t happened. russia has made some gains, admittedly, but there s been no actual breakthrough. the bbc ukraine correspondent, james waterhouse, is back in london briefly, and i asked him for his view of what was happening. after ukraine weath