Faisal Islam: What surprise praise for UK economy tells us about the Budget
The IMF has praised the UK government's fiscal strategy for its focus on debt reduction, contrasting it with other G7 nations that are increasing borrowing. IMF officials highlighted the UK's decisive action as a factor that may improve the country's long-term growth prospects.
Why it matters
This endorsement provides significant political capital for the UK government ahead of its upcoming budget and signals a divergence in economic policy among major global powers.
Image source, Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Bloomberg via Getty Images Image caption, The managing director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, has praised the UK's approach to debt reduction.
Economics editor , Reporting from in Bangkok Published 14 October 2026, 12:03 BST Updated 26 minutes ago "Get your fiscal health in order," is a key message at the the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) annual meeting here in Thailand.
The IMF is worried about the debts of the world's biggest economies. It is doing its job as a watchdog, looking for and warning about financial vulnerabilities.
In the meantime, the finance ministers of former crisis countries are boasting about how little their borrowing costs have gone up, compared to the world's biggest economies, such as the US.
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