Strong on the economy? The Tories are weak – and the media should say so | Simon Wren-Lewis

Data shows the economy has been weaker since 2010 than under Labour between 1997 and 2007

How did the Conservatives get away with inventing and publicising a ridiculous figure for Labour spending? Their claim that Labour's plans would cost 1.2tn included many things the party ruled out doing, such as abolishing public schools; it doubled the cost of policies such as bringing the National Grid into public ownership; it counted 10-year commitments (such as making housing more energy-efficient) as happening over five years; and so on.

Related: Labour derides 1.2tn Tory costing claims as 'work of fiction'