There was further miserable news on the UK economy last week with the revelation in official figures that the country’s inflation rate was once again the worst among the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations.

Annual UK consumer prices index inflation remained stuck at 6.7% in September, the data from the Office for National Statistics showed. This is nearly three-and-a-half times the 2% target set for the Bank of England by the Treasury.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a slight dip in annual CPI inflation, to 6.6%.

What is far more significant though, especially in the context of Tory claims that the UK’s inflation woe is merely a reflection of global factors, is that the country is once again sticking out like a sore thumb in a G7 context for its runaway prices.

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The Trades Union Congress contrasted the UK’s inflation figure with the latest rates of 3.2% for Japan, 3.7% for the US, 3.8% for Canada, 4.5% for Germany, 4.9% for France, and 5.3% for Italy.

The numbers say it all, and it is no surprise.

Plenty of experts have highlighted the inflationary pressures arising from the UK’s hard Brexit, which has sent food prices soaring and resulted in a jump in import costs generally. Then we have had the skills and labour shortages crisis, which has added to wage inflation.

It was good to see the TUC highlight the Tories’ economic failure, given the need to hold governments to account where policymaking is exacerbating the woes being faced by households and businesses in what are already very difficult times.

Such scrutiny is also particularly important given that the Conservatives are continuing to try to portray themselves as some sort of shrewd and responsible custodians of the economy, when little could be further from the truth.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “While other countries have acted decisively to reduce cost of living pressures, working families and businesses here remain seriously under the cosh.

“Let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture. The UK is teetering on the brink of recession, with employment falling as companies scramble to cut costs.”

He added: “The Conservatives’ lack of a credible economic plan is costing us dear. Britain cannot afford the Tories.”

The Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) at the London School of Economics and Political Science in May updated its analysis of Brexit’s effect on food prices.

This paper from Jan David Bakker, Nikhil Datta, Richard Davies, and Josh De Lyon observed: “The cost of Brexit to each household now stands at £250 when only considering the impacts on food since December 2019. This aggregates up to £6.95 billion overall for UK households.”

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That is a big cost, and it is of course only one aspect of the Brexit damage.

We live in curious times though. And it seems the arch-Brexiters are increasingly determined, as the Brexit bill continues to mount, to prevent the damage being mitigated.

The arch-Brexiters’ reaction to German finance minister Christian Lindner extending an invitation for an intensification of the UK’s trade relationship with the European Union was a case in point.

This relationship has been damaged severely by Brexit, which is weighing so heavily on UK economic output and living standards.

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In an interview with the BBC published last weekend, the German finance minister said: “If you want to intensify your trade relationship with the EU, call us."

This invitation, and the reaction to it, formed the basis of my column in The Herald on Friday.

The signals from the UK Government were that it would not be rushing to get in touch with Mr Lindner or his colleagues.

And Lord David Frost was among the arch-Brexiters to react in what some people might consider to be a bizarre way to the extension of an olive branch to poor old Brexit Britain by Mr Lindner.

Former Cabinet minister Lord Frost was quoted by The Mail on Sunday as follows: “'It would be much better if our European friends and partners concentrated on putting their own ramshackle eurozone in order rather than constantly telling us how we should govern ourselves.

“If the EU ever wishes to offer a closer trading relationship that doesn't involve our accepting EU law, then that will be something new. But it's clear Lindner is not offering that and it is not in his power to offer it. Rather, he hopes we will be suckered back into the single market without a say in its rules, destroying our prospects as a global trader. I can see why that would be in Germany's interest but it is not in ours.”

Lord Frost, former chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, was of course the lead negotiator of the woeful hard Brexit delivered by former prime minister Boris Johnson.

However, even by Lord Frost’s normal standards, his reaction to Mr Lindner’s overture seemed like quite a remarkable outpouring.

It has not been all bad news, however.

My column in The Herald on Wednesday highlighted the continuing strength of the UK’s overseas travel sector, evident in trading updates in recent weeks from the likes of TUI, Jet2 and easyJet and in new route announcements by Glasgow and Edinburgh airports.

Heading through summer and into autumn, amid the UK’s economic malaise, the good news from package holiday companies, airports, airlines and travel agents has been most encouraging.

Continued strength of demand in the UK for overseas travel would be good for the economy and employment, and boost the crucial rebuilding of connectivity as airports in Scotland and elsewhere strive to put the grim effects of pandemic-related lockdowns and restrictions behind them.