The UK's economy grew at 0.8% between July and September, official figures show, suggesting the economy is recovering faster than expected.

官方统计数据显示，英国第三季度经济增长0.8%，经济恢复速度比预期要快。

It follows 1.2% growth in the second quarter of the year, and is double the 0.4% expected by analysts¹.

Meanwhile rating agency Standard and Poor's upgraded its outlook for the UK's triple-A credit rating.

Chancellor² George Osborne called both reports "a vote of confidence in the new government's economic policies".

The gross domestic product (GDP) figure released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is only a first estimate, and may be revised.

Analysts had expected a slowdown after weak retail³ sales and housing data.

Government relief

"This is the second major GDP growth surprise in a row and suggests that the UK economy is more resilient（有弹力的） than many had feared," said James Knightley, economist⁴ at ING.

"The government will no doubt take this as a sign that the private sector⁵ can fill the gap created by public sector cuts, but with consumer confidence, hiring intentions surveys and housing activity data all softening⁶ we remain cautious."

But chancellor George Osborne said that, along with the government's Spending Review announced last week, the ONS data should help underpin⁷（巩固，支持） confidence in the UK economy.

"The ONS believe that the underlying⁸ growth in the third quarter was 'broadly similar' to the strong second quarter," he said.

"This gives me confidence that although global economic conditions remain choppy（波涛汹涌的，突变的） , a steady recovery is underway."

However, shadow chancellor Alan Johnson claimed the data showed no such thing.

"There's no sign yet of the kind of momentum⁹ in the private sector that we need to actually create the 2.5 million jobs that the [Office of Budget Responsibility] is suggesting are necessary, to actually come out of this with increases in employment," he said.

But the government's planned cuts in its Spending Review got a stamp of approval from ratings agency Standard & Poor's, which raised its outlook for the UK's triple-A rating back to "stable" from "negative".

"In our opinion, the decisions reached by the United Kingdom coalition¹⁰ government in its 2010 Spending Review reduce risks to the government's implementation¹¹（实现，履行） of its June 2010 fiscal¹²（会计的，财政的） consolidation¹³ programme," the company said in a statement.