Debt-interest costs saw UK government borrowing rise to the highest level for any May in six years, underscoring the fiscal challenges awaiting any successor to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The budget deficit came in at £23.3 billion ($30.7 billion) after a record interest bill for the month, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. It was well above the £18.9 billion forecast by economists and up £5.4 billion on a year ago.