Sunak defends UK economic performance amid GDP drop

British Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Friday defended the country's economic performance as gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by 9.9%, after thousands of businesses were forced to close for several months to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Sunak announced the Treasury was putting together a "comprehensive plan for jobs" after the country's economy shrunk at the fastest rate since the 1920s last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sunak said the Treasury's economic response will be set out in the budget, due to be announced in early March.