article_snippet.sent: The slump will come as a setback for the Government ahead of the General Election next month.
article_snippet.sent: This underlines the need to reorient our focus on key emerging markets, including Asia.
article_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne has promised to double exports to £1trillion by 2020 to strengthen the economy – but is on course to fall well short of that target.
article_snippet.sent: Chancellor George Osborne has promised to double exports to £1trillion by 2020 to strengthen the economy – but is on course to fall well short of that target .
article_snippet.sent: David Kern, chief economist of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'It is clear that the UK is not yet making adequate process to rebalance the economy towards net exports.
article_snippet.sent: Unless we see firm action to improve we export performance, it is not clear how we will sustain strong growth in the long-term.'
article_snippet.sent: Paul Hollingsworth, UK economist at Capital Economics, said the bleak figures 'will re-ignite fears that the strong pound and weakness in demand in the euro-zone is acting as a straightjacket on exporters'.
highlights_snippet.sent: Strong pound and weak eurozone is 'acting like straitjacket' on exporters .