Britain is at last out of recession by the skin of her teeth.
0.1% economic growth is equivalent to a nice warm summer evening.
Had GDP growth been just 0.1% lower, however, then Britain wouldn't have grown at all in the fourth quarter of 2009.
But, because of the rule that a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth, then, even at 0% growth, Britain's recession would have technically ended.
However, in the past, GDP growth has been revised up or down as much as 0.2% each quarter, which could mean Britain isn't out of recession at all at the moment even though the figures say we are. If that is the case then Britain will have to wait a little longer before the recession has ended, although by the time we find that out we might really be out of the recession, finally.
But, as it is, with growth at 0.1%, there can now be some excuse for dancing in the streets across the land even if the dance is short lived, or maybe just a hand jive.
Using a sports metaphor, these GDP numbers can be explained like this: Imagine Manchester United were playing with 11 Wayne Rooney's, the ref was on their side, the other side hadn't turned up, and they still won one nil. That's the economy that it.
