Ed Balls: 'Government has to act' on unemployment

UK unemployment rose by 48,000 to 2.67 million in the three months to December, official figures have shown.

The unemployment rate was 8.4%, the Office for National Statistics said, the highest for 16 years.

The number of young people without a job rose 22,000 to 1.04m, taking the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds to 22.2%.

Shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, says the government has a responsibility to act.

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