British economic growth slows sharply before election

Britain's economy grew far slower than expected in the first quarter of 2015, official data showed Tuesday, delivering a blow to the government just nine days before a general election. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.3 percent between January and March compared with 0.6 percent in the final quarter of 2014, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in an initial estimate. Opinion polls show Prime Minister David Cameron's centre-right Conservatives neck and neck with the main