Chancellor defends the impact of his autumn statement on 'squeezed middle'

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has defended his Autumn Statement and the impact it will have on middle income earners.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What we're doing with this package...is to ask people who have more to contribute more".

"We want to take the difficult decisions in a fair way," he added.

Yesterday he announced the government's tax and spending plans to try stabilise the economy as the cost of living soars.