We are not crashing the economy over coronavirus, Britain says

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government is not crashing the economy with its multi-billion pound schemes to help businesses and workers as both companies and citizens needed support to survive the coronavirus crisis, its business minister said on Friday.

"I don't think we are crashing the economy," British Business Minister Alok Sharma told Sky News. "I hope the downturn, if I can put it like that, and the impact on the economy will be short term."

"This is a global issue that is affecting countries across the world and we are providing support, as indeed other are, for their businesses and their citizens," he said.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden)