Labour: Unemployment figures 'shocking'

The rise in UK unemployment to 2.57 million is a "shocking" increase, according to the shadow secretary for work and pensions.

Liam Byrne said that the government's policies "were hurting but not working" and urged Chancellor George Osborne to "change course".

The Employment Secretary, Chris Grayling, said that what the UK was now seeing was "the impact of the international financial crisis".