Election 2015: Ed Balls and George Osborne shake hands on debate

Chancellor George Osborne and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls appear to have agreed to a head-to-head debate on their parties financial plans ahead of May's general election.

With the issue of the leaders' debates still unresolved, appearing on The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Balls encouraged his Conservative counterpart to shake hands on a commitment to participate in a one-to-one debate with him.

In 2010, the then three main parties' financial spokesmen took part in their own debate on the economy on Channel 4.