LONDON, Jan 21: Britain’s economy is weakening fast, official data showed on Wednesday, with more figures due this week expected to confirm the country has sunk into recession for the first time since 1991.

The unemployment rate jumped to a decade-high 6.1 per cent in the three months to November, with nearly two million out of work.

At the same time, the Office for National Statistics said Britain’s public finances worsened last month to show a record deficit of 44.2 billion pounds (48 billion euros, 61 billion dollars) after the state bailout of Royal Bank of Scotland.

“Another dire day for the UK economy with data ... showing unemployment soaring, the public finances deteriorating sharply,” IHS Global Insight analyst Howard Archer said on Wednesday.

The fact that Britain is in recession is set to be confirmed on Friday, when data is expected to show the economy contracted for a second straight quarter in the final three months of 2008.—AFP