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61% 'think economic growth has only benefited the wealthy'

As Britain's economy grew to 1.9%, its best annual performance since 2007, an ITV News poll appears to show that 61% of voters think the growth has only benefited the wealthy. 74% also believed the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger.

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Ed Balls: This is not a recovery that is built to last

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has welcomed today's economic growth but added that with construction output down and business investment "weak" this was not "a recovery that is built to last."

Today’s growth figures are welcome and long overdue after three damaging years of flatlining. But for working people facing a cost-of-living crisis this is still no recovery at all.

Wages are now down £1600 a year after inflation under David Cameron and tax and benefit changes since 2010 have left families worse off by an average of £891 this year.

And with business investment still weak, construction output down and housing demand outstripping housing supply, this is not yet a recovery that is built to last.

Risks remain in the global economy and simply to catch up all the lost ground since 2010 we need 1.6 per cent growth each quarter between now and the election.

– Ed Balls, Labour’s shadow chancellor

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