"more than 15 years of consecutive growth"

The BBC report that

"UK economic growth ground to a halt between April and June, according to the latest official figures.

The Office for National Statistics said the economy stalled, showing no growth from the first quarter of 2008.

It ends a run of more than 15 years of consecutive growth in the UK..."

I don't understand, the BBC have always lead me to believe that Labour were elected in 1997 to replace an incompetent Tory government that had presided over economic disaster. Now I learn that the economy was growing before the coming to power of the blessed Tony & Gordon - I need a lie down...