Official data released by the Office for National Statistics revealed that GDP grew by 0.6% between April and June, following a 0.7% increase in the first three months of the year.
Shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt said that proved Labour was wrong to claim it had been left an economy on its knees by the last Conservative government.
He said: “Today’s figures are yet further proof that Labour have inherited a growing and resilient economy.
“The chancellor’s attempt to blame her economic inheritance on her decision to raise taxes – tax rises she had always planned – will not wash with the public.
“Labour promised over 50 times in the election they would not raise people’s taxes and we will hold them to account on their promises.”
Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said the figures showed the economy had “turned a corner” under the Tories and added: “Don’t let Labour convince you otherwise.”
Responding on X to a post by chancellor Rachel Reeves pointing out that the Tories left a £22 billion “black hole” in the public finances, shadow health secretary Victoria Atkins said: “You inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first six months of 2024.”
But Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, dismissed the Tory criticism.
He said: “The last Conservative government left this new Labour government with the highest tax burden since the 1940s, the highest debt burden for over 60 years and a huge cost for just paying the interest on that debt every single month.
“And as the chancellor and I set out in parliament a few weeks ago, they left us with over £20bn of bills coming through the door here at the Treasury with no money to pay for it. That doesn’t sound like a good inheritance to me.”