THE Tories are forcing parents to give up working hours or leave their jobs because of unaffordable and unavailable childcare, Labour warned today.

The party said it had analysed multiple surveys to highlight how soaring child care costs are limiting parents’ ability to work.

The annual cost of a full-time nursery place for a child under two years old has increased by almost £1,500 over the last five years, according to data from the Coram Family and Childcare annual survey.