The UK economy unexpectedly failed to grow in January, ahead of the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The zero growth for the month was weaker than had been predicted, and followed growth of 0.1% in December.

The overall picture is "subdued", said the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which released the GDP figures.

The figures cover a period before the outbreak of Middle East conflict, which has caused a major energy shock that could have a ripple effect on economies around the world.

The longer the conflict lasts, the more likely it is that there will be an effect on the UK economy, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned this week.

Labour has made growing the economy its number one priority since coming to power.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "Our economic plan is the right one, but I know there is more to do.

"In an uncertain world, we are building a stronger and more secure economy by cutting the cost of living, cutting national debt and creating the conditions for growth to make all parts of the country better off."

GDP stands for gross domestic product, and is a measure of all the economic activity of companies, governments, and people in a country.

The ONS said the services sector showed no growth in January, while production fell by 0.1%. Meanwhile the construction sector grew by 0.2%.

The conflict in the Middle East could raise the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.

The area's average life expectancy is 77.8 years for men and 81.9 years for women, says report.

Economic consequences are an intrinsic aspect of the Iran conflict, writes BBC economics editor Faisal Islam.

Nationwide, HSBC and Coventry Building Society are all putting some mortgage rates up.

UK Inflation has dropped back from record highs but remains above the Bank of England's 2% target.