Labour to focus on economic growth 'bypassing most families' Labour aims to focus on squeezed living standards, claiming that any economic recovery is bypassing most hardworking families. Labour will this week attempt to shift the political focus to its claim that the start of an economic recovery will bypass most of the population by saying that working people are on average £1,350 worse off in real terms under David Cameron. It has also published findings from a specially commissioned poll showing 70% believe recent improvements in the economy have not benefited middle and lower income families, with just 10% saying they have. In an attempt to show that fundamental unfairness in society remains unaddressed, Labour also points to new official figures showing that bonuses in financial and business services soared in April by 82% compared to last year. That represents an increase of more than £1.8bn to nearly £4bn and suggests bankers delayed their bonuses to take advantage of the government's cut in the top rate of tax which came into effect in April. The release of the barrage of figures is designed to show a Labour campaign machine on the front foot after a fortnight in which it has been stung by criticism from its own side for failing to seize the agenda or provide a coherent attack against the Conservatives. The figures, designed to show Labour's concern over rising prices and its impact on the squeezed middle, will be highlighted on Monday at a rare Labour summer press conference called by the shadow Treasury minister Chris Leslie. Labour has long claimed it can win a general election fought on living standards since even if growth in the next two years is higher than recently forecast, most voters will not experience any increase in their earnings after the most prolonged and intense squeeze on living standards since 1945. Long-term trends in the labour market also appear likely to hold wage rises back for the foreseeable future. The polling conducted by YouGov for Labour shows a feel-bad factor is still prevalent with 81% saying they believe that over the past year prices have grown faster than household incomes. Just 3% (and only 1% of women) believe that household incomes have grown faster than prices. The poll also shows that 81% believe politicians who say household incomes have grown faster than price rises, as chancellor George Osborne claimed last month, are "out of touch." Osborne said "disposable incomes grew by 1.4% above inflation last year." The Labour attack also indicates how much the shadow cabinet intends to show key government figures have misread the national mood if they try to generate a sense of pre-election optimism about future household incomes. The official quarterly earnings figures last saw a rise above inflation in October to December 2009. Shadow cabinet sources say the focus must be on high prices as much as the more abstract living standards. The polling also suggests politicians are less likely to win a living standards election if they are simply defined as being against the top. They need more to be defined as being for the middle, and willing to offer long-term solutions, rather than quick fixes. Commenting on the new figures Catherine McKinnell MP, shadow Treasury minister, said: "This may feel like a recovery for those at the top, but for everyone else life is getting harder. Working people know they are worse off under the Tories as prices continue to rise faster than wages. Families have also seen their tax credits and childcare support stripped back while David Cameron has prioritised a tax cut for millionaires. The Conservatives claimed Labour was recycling old figures and in government had failed to act when cabinet members such as the Treasury chief secretary Liam Byrne discovered the living standards squeeze had started as early as 2004. Conservative chairman Grant Shapps said: "Labour can't be taken seriously on the cost of living when they refuse to acknowledge their role in creating the living standards squeeze in the first place, and have opposed every single difficult decision we've taken to secure an economic recovery that rewards hardworking people. Labour still offers the same old policy that got us into this mess in the first place - more borrowing and more debt. Hard-working people would pay the price with higher mortgage rates and higher bills.