Chris Leslie MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on today’s national account statistics and the current account deficit, said:

“As the British Chambers of Commerce has said, this country’s large and longstanding trade deficit makes us

‘hugely vulnerable to external shocks’ and poses a significant risk to the UK economy.

“The crisis in Greece and potential impact on eurozone nations underline the importance of improving Britain’s export strength around the globe.

“The Chancellor should wake up to his other deficit failure that he has neglected for too long. He must use the Budget to prioritise measures to support exporters, boost productivity and safeguard Britain against the risks of economic turbulence abroad.”