Economy 'back to 2008 peak by summer'

The size of the overall UK economy will this summer overtake the peak level it was at before the 2008 financial crisis, a business lobby group says.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) thinks the second quarter, starting in April, will see GDP exceed the level seen at the start of 2008.

In upgraded forecasts, it estimates economic growth will be 2.8% this year - but it also warns of an "unacceptably high" level of youth unemployment.

John Glen, an economist at the Cranfield School of Management, said the BCC was "quite conservative" in its predictions.