Boris Johnson could be about to inherit a recession

There is a one-in-four chance that the UK economy has already slipped into a technical recession.

LONDON - MARCH 21: Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown holds his ministerial red box as he leaves for Parliament to present his 11th budget statemen, on March 21, 2007 in London. This is likely to be Brown's last budget as Chancellor, as he is favourite to replace Tony Blair as Prime Minister in the next few months. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Coverage of the new forecasts we released today at the National Institute of Economic & Social Research (NIESR) focused, quite rightly, on our warning that there is a one-in-four chance that the UK economy has already slipped into a technical recession, with the possibility of a severe downturn in the event of a disorderly no-deal Brexit.

But away from the gloomiest Brexit scenarios, the underlying state of the UK economy does not make for cheerful reading. As prime minister, Boris Johnson is inheriting an economy already skirmishing with recession and a public administration barely able to implement plans.