Who can run the economy? TWICE as many people now back the Tories as Labour in blow for Miliband as recovery takes hold 38% say Conservatives have best economic policies, just 20% said Labour Only 23% think they would be better off under a Labour government Miliband uses party conference to make pitch to hard-press families Latest figures show borrowing fell in August in boost for George Osborne The Conservatives have extended their lead over Labour as the party most trusted on the economy to 18 points, a new poll revealed tonight. In a major blow for Labour leader Ed Miliband on the eve of his party conference, the survey found just one in five voters think he has the best policies to manage the recovery. By contrast David Cameron and George Osborne are backed by almost twice as many voters, amid increasing signs that growth is gaining momentum. Issues: When asked which party has the best policies on the economy, 38 per cent said the Conservatives compared to just 20 per cent who said Labour The surprise surge in support for the Tories comes after two successive quarters of growth, leading Mr Osborne to boast that the economy has "turned a corner." According to the Ipsos Mori poll, 38 per cent of people now say the Conservatives have the best policies on the economy, with Labour trailing on just 20 per cent. It marks a dramatic shift in the last six months, when the two parties were neck and neck. In March just 27 per cent of voters backed the Tories on the economy with 26 per cent preferring Labour. Coalition hopes of slashing government borrowing before the next election have also been boosted. Living costs: Labour leader Ed Miliband used a Q&A session in Brighton to claim he was on the side of ordinary people, but only 23 per cent of people think they would be better off if he became Prime Minister Mr Osborne has been under constant fire from the Labour Party for pursuing an austerity plan it claimed was failing to cut the deficit and deliver growth. Speaking at an open-air Q&A session in Brighton on the eve of his party conference today, Mr Miliband again tried to accuse the Tories of only acting in the interests of the wealthy. The Labour leader said: "The way a country succeeds is not just with a few at the top it's with what I call the forgotten wealth creators. The people who put in the hours, who do the work, who do two jobs, who do the shifts. They are the people we should be supporting in this country. That's how we tackle the cost of living crisis, that's how we have an economy that works for working people again in our country. 'After six months of rising economic optimism perhaps it's no surprise to see the Conservatives take a clear lead ' Pollster Gideon Skinner But according to the Ipsos Mori poll just 23 per cent of people think they would be better off under a Labour government, with 22 per cent saying a Tory government. Just over half (52 per cent) said it would make no difference either way. News that the Tories are now backed on the economy by almost two to one will worry Labour MPs and activists as they gather in Brighton this weekend. Gideon Skinner, head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI said: "The economy has been the number one issue facing the country for five straight years now, and after six consecutive months of rising economic optimism perhaps it is no surprise to see the Conservatives take a clear lead here. Meanwhile, the image of the parties going into conference season shows the challenges they face: the Conservatives are seen as the most fit to govern and with the best team of leaders, while Labour has the lead on understanding Britain's problems and looking after the interests of the man and woman on the street. The Liberal Democrats have lost the mantle of the outsider party to UKIP. Clash: Chancellor George Osborne is growing increasingly optimistic about the pace of the recovery but shadow chancellor Ed Balls has accused the government of being complacent With just 18 months until the 2015 general election campaign gets underway, Labour is under prerssure to set out policies which will persuade doubtful voters they are fit to govern. Today Mr Miliband promised to increase the minimum wage, offer more childcare support for parents and reverse £470million worth of housing benefit changes he described as the "bedroom tax." While Labour still has a lead over the Tories on the NHS, only a third (36 per cent) now say Mr Miliband's party has the best policies on health care, down from 46 per cent. The proportion backing the Conservatives has grown from 16 per cent to 21 per cent. Labour also leads on education, housing and unemployment policy, while the Conservatives are seen to have the best policies on asylum and immigration and crime and anti-social behaviour. Just under half (47 per cent) of people see the Tories as fit to govern - compared with 38 per cent for Labour, 17 per cent for the Liberal Democrats and 14 per cent for UKIP.