Should the government introduce the 'living wage'?

The number of UK workers earning below the so-called living wage has risen to 4.8 million, research suggests.

The figure, equivalent to 20% of employees, is up from 3.4 million in 2009, the Resolution Foundation, a left-leaning think tank said.

Speaking to BBC News, Treasury Minister David Gauke said it was important to get people into work and "we don't want to take any measures that would jeopardize that".

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rachel Reeves responded, "Average earnings have fallen... and this government are doing very little about it".