The UK jobs market has significantly improved since Labour came to power, according to the TUC.

More than one million jobs have been created since Tony Blair entered Downing Street, a new report said.

Seven in 10 new jobs were full time - with the TUC report pointing to a sharp fall in the number of people taking part-time and temporary work.

The study also claims that the number unemployed Britons has fallen by half a million - just over a quarter - since Labour came to power.

"The scaremongerers were wrong about new employee protections and welfare reform costing jobs," said general secretary Brendan Barber.

"We are now closer to full employment than at any other point in the last 25 years. Things have got better under Labour.

"The challenges ahead are kick-starting the manufacturing sector and closing the gap in wages between men and women and the high and low paid."