The Shadow Chancellor - who dressed as Santa for the Westminster Kids Club Christmas party - was jeered in the Commons after declaring that the deficit was coming down before changing his mind.

Bassetlaw MP John Mann said the Shadow Chancellor’s response to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement had damaged Mr Balls’s leadership prospects – and made Mr Miliband’s position secure.

George Osborne did not address problems such as low levels of investment, lack of access to finance, and high energy costs.

In a blow for the Chancellor who used the Autumn Statement to unveil a raft of populist giveaways, 60 per cent thought it was good for ‘rich people’.

The purchasing managers’ index of activity in the UK construction sector dipped from 61.4 in October to 59.4 in November, which is still well above the 50 mark that divides growth and decline.

As analysts digested the detail of the Chancellor’s ‘mini-Budget’ the ramifications of reforms to stamp duty, business rates and the North Sea tax regime became clearer…

The Chancellor has pledged to eliminate the record deficit racked up by Labour during the financial crisis and return the country to the black by the end of the decade.

Anyone with a household income of less than £80,000 in England will soon be able to buy a home through shared ownership, which has long been restricted to key workers.

To raise £18billion in spending cuts over the five years, George Osborne slashed departments by up to 37 per cent but the NHS, defence and international development are the big winners.

The climbdown means George Osborne (pictured) will breach his self-imposed welfare cap for the next three years, meaning a minister must explain and apologise to Parliament.

The Chancellor will use tomorrow’s Autumn Statement to pledge that two million homes in bigger towns and cities will get access to gold standard ‘full-fibre’ broadband, which can download TV shows.

The new 'full-fibre' networks will have the capacity to reach speeds of more than 1Gbps, which it is claimed could allow users to download an entire Game Of Thrones series in less than a minute.

Hammond has backed recent HMRC proposals for a crackdown on using the loophole for smartphone and gym contracts, buying cars and TVs, or private medical insurance.

Professional golfer Paige Spiranac hit back after the LGPA released new dress code guidelines banning plunging necklines and short skirts, which she says is discriminatory against female players.

Barcelona are showing an interest in Manchester City teenage prospect Kian Breckin. The 15-year-old attacking midfielder has caught the eye of the Spanish club's scouts in tournaments.

Wigan unveiled their gigantic pie mascot on Friday with fans hoping that the savoury snack (contents unknown) can inspire the Latics to Premier League glory next season.

The 26-year-old is due to have a medical ahead of signing a three year contract with the Championship side.

SPORTS AGENDA BY MIKE KEEGAN: England's footballers may well have been delighted last week when the FA announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with food delivery app Deliveroo.

The 20-year old has been recalled from a loan spell at Morecambe and was wanted by Championship strugglers Wigan Athletic before the ambitious Salford City swooped in.

Jetting off for your summer holiday? Leaving your travel money to the last minute could cost you, so why not choose a no fee credit or debit card instead that offers you a better rate.

It may surprise some but Croatia, Malta and Lithuania are all holiday hotspots appearing on Britons' 2020 wish lists, new research has revealed.

Hotel comparison sites claim to work with partners across the world to guarantee the best prices for your budget. But all too often travellers using the platforms are running into problems.

Andrew Wylde and his wife Danielle, of Wallasey, Merseyside booked a one week holiday to Atlantica Holiday Village Kos with their six children in June 2019, hoping for a relaxing break.

If you were planning a relaxing gondola ride around the canals of Venice or a luxury cruise in the next few months, it is safe to say that your dream holiday is looking a lot less idylic now.

Marian and John Vessey, face losing vast sums for nothing after being refused a refund for a £381 hotel booking while John and Gillie Coghlan had been due to tour Amsterdam.

Easyjet and BA passengers have been particularly annoyed after the airlines removed the option of a cash refund from their websites recently.

News of her death was shared by her husband Duane Dog Chapman, who launched to fame alongside his wife on the popular reality show Dog the Bounty Hunter.

Erika Zak lost her battle with colon cancer, even when a much-needed liver transplant had just come through to try and save her life. Her death came after she spent the last five years battling the cancer.

Val Kilmer, 59, hammed it up for the camera while hosting artist Tamie Adaya's GLAM Art Exhibition at his HelMel studio in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The actor, 51, revealed he's been secretly battling stage four tonsil cancer, and shared his delight over completing his treatment by ringing a bell in hospital in a clip posted to Twitter on Monday.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: The horn was the result of a common cancer called a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Doctors in Chester removed it and covered the hole with a skin graft.

Andrew Lane, 65, from Essex contracted necrotising fasciitis during surgery in 2013, but speaking to Take a Break magazine, his wife insists their relationship has not suffered.

BBC news anchor Raworth, 51, tweeted that her friend and colleague George Alagiah, 64, would be at the helm of Tuesday's 6pm bulletin for the first time after beating coronavirus.

Golden State Warriors point and shooting guard D'Angelo Russell shared an image  on Twitter on Wednesday showing him watch Kyrgios play, adding the caption: 'Tuned in'.

Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich watched Serena Williams win her second round match against Tamara Zidansek at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Peter Eckert was flying from Melbourne to Adelaide on Wednesday after spending time at the Australian Open when he delayed flight was turned around.

During his second round win at the Australian Open, Nadal hit a forehand return down the line straight into the head of the ballgirl, standing by the umpire's chair, and apologised with a kiss on the cheek.

The world number one had a scary moment during his round two victory over Argentina's Federico Delbonis in the second round.

The world number one was up against Argentina's Federico Delbonis at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday when he hit 13-year-old Anita in the face during the third set.

Anita copped the blow to her face in the third set as the Spanish tennis star took on Argentina's Federico Delbonis at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: Long before he set up what should be a pulsating fourth-round against Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios had already commenced hostilities.

Australia's golden girl of tennis survived a mid-match scare to down world number 18 seed Alison Riske to win  6-3 1-6 6-4 to book a quarter finals berth.

Ash Barty has served a brilliant response after the debate over changing date of Australia Day threatened to overshadow her stunning fourth round win at her home grand slam.

The 15-year-old played alongside Caty McNally, 18, in the third round of the Women's Doubles tournament today. Both decorated their sneakers in memory of Kobe

Australian world number one Ash Barty has defeated Czech player Petra Kvitova to reach the Australian Open semi finals.

Roger Federer's opponent Tennys Sandgren needed medical attention when a ballkid collided with him during a crucial stage of their quarterfinal showdown at the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic paid tribute to Kobe Bryant as he continued his march through the Australian Open draw with a straight-sets victory over Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals.

Ash Barty's face is all over Melbourne endorsing range of products as she moves towards becoming the first homegrown female champion at the Australian Open in 42 years.

The former Australian tennis star, 34, interviewed her good friend after she beat Kvitova in the quarter finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday afternoon.

Italian chef Andrea Tranchero has dished out the exact meal Roger Federer eats before every game at the Australian Open - as he shares the 'match winning' recipe.