Speaking after receiving the Office of Budget Responsibility's (OBR) forecasts, which featured in the chancellor's Autumn Statement, Ed Balls said borrowing had been revised up.
That was down from December's 18,000 gain, which had been revised up by 4,000, which was down from an earlier Commerce Department revision of up by 6,000, according to the Treasury Department.
He also took comfort from the fact that forecasts for future years have been revised up by the Office for Budget Responsibility OBRR), which means the public's finances are "in a marginally stronger position" than expected at the Budget in March.
The April figure was a major increase from March's 203,000 gain in jobs, which was revised up.
Excluding the skewed figure for the week ending Sept. 7, which was revised up slightly to 294,000, last week's reading was the best since September 2007.
Borrowing and debt have been revised up because of slow growth, which means that money coming in from taxes is down and the cost of unemployment and other benefits is up.
The divergence between employment and GDP may be due to weather, seasonal adjustment, a temporary productivity reversal, or one of the two sets of data being wrong, most likely GDP, which will be revised up.
Indeed, a surge in export sales in June probably means that GDP growth for the most recent quarter will be revised up from 1.9% at an annualised rate, which is already respectable.
That's up from a new estimate of 11.8% for December (which has been revised up).
Rachel Reeves, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury said: "The chancellor might claim these borrowing figures show his plans are on track, but he is only on track for targets which have already been revised up by a staggering £158bn.
