UK inflation jump means the 2017 voter is getting poorer | Larry Elliott

There will be no feelgood factor driving voters to the polls - living standards are falling as the gap between price rises and wage increases widens

The 2017 general election will be fought at a time when voters are getting poorer. That was the big message from the latest official figures for the cost of living showing that the annual inflation rate has reached 2.7%.

Earnings growth is running at around 2%, which means that living standards are going down. And there is worse to come. The gap between price increases and wage rises is going to get wider over the coming months.

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Related: Energy price rises help drive UK inflation up to 2.7%