This is reported by the CNN.

As the minister noted, such data are posted on the website of the International Monetary Fund. So, in the rating, Britain was ahead of France with a GDP volume of 2.575 trillion dollars, while the kingdom - 2.565 trillion.

The Treasury indicates that while the gap is still small, France's position will strengthen in the coming year. It outstripped the rival for the first time since 2013.

According to Hammond, statistics indicate a sharp slowdown in economic growth in Britain, which is due to the procedure for withdrawing from the European Union.

The pound sterling rate fell, consumer spending fell, and prices, on the contrary, rose.

In the IMF rankings in 2017 in the first place of the United States, on the second - China, on the third - Japan, on the fourth - Germany.

As previously reported, "URA-Inform", the European Union is developing a special plan in case negotiations on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU will end without an agreement on Brexit. The plan includes the disabling of Britain's EU security databases.