Ed Balls MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, told ITN:

“I think it tells you everything about David Cameron’s government that while we hear Labour are saying let’s get energy prices down for families, let’s help families with childcare, let’s get people get back to work, he sends his chancellor George Osborne to Brussels to stand up for bankers and bankers’ bonuses. I think George Osborne should have agreed with us all along to tackle the issue here with a tax on bank bonuses to get young people back to work. And you’ve got to ask, why is George Osborne so isolated in Europe that he lost the argument on the European Council on European action on bank bonuses and he is now trying to fight it in the courts? He should have led on this issue not followed. He should have listened to us. He should join Labour and stand up for what working people need to deal with their cost of living crisis rather than just caring about trying to let bankers have more bonuses for the future.”