US President Barack Obama has seen his $447bn (£287bn) jobs bill defeated 50 votes to 49 in the US Senate, falling well short of the 60 votes needed to advance the measures.

BBC News reports that not a single Republican voted in favour of the bill, objecting to the plans to spend money to stimulate the economy and create new taxes on millionaires.

Having spent weeks campaigning across the country in advance of last night’s decision, Obama said: “Tonight’s vote is by no means the end of this fight.”

BBC News says Obama will be working with the senate to try and rescue specific measures within the bill, putting them to vote individually.

The US unemployment rate stands at 9.1% or just over 31m, with 45% of these having been out of work for six months or more.