Ed Balls: We must get UK back to work to cut welfare

Securing employment for more people is the key to cutting the welfare cost in the UK, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has suggested.

Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr, Mr Balls said that spending on benefits had risen under Chancellor George Osborne because of inflation and long-term employment.

But he refused to be drawn on where and how he would put a squeeze on payments in order to try and address the deficit.

You can watch the Andrew Marr Show in full on the BBC iPlayer