Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the ONS Labour Market Statistics today, said:

“Today’s figures are further evidence of Tory economic failure, only a day after inflation rose to its highest level in over five-and-half years.

“Both employment and real wages are falling while the price of household essentials balloons, leaving millions of people worse off than they were in 2010.

“Eight million people in working households live in poverty, and many will struggle this Christmas as a direct result of this government’s austerity policies.

“Labour will protect living standards by introducing a £10 an hour real Living Wage, scrapping the public sector pay cap and reforming the government’s failing Universal Credit programme.”

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