16/11/2011

Gov 'Failing the Nation' As Jobless Hits 2.62M

The coalition Government has been accused of "failing the nation" after unemployment figures released on Wednesday revealed another 129,000 are out of work.

UK unemployment rose again in the three months to September to 2.62 million, while youth unemployment, which is at its highest ever, accounted for over a third of the figure, rising above a million.

The jobless total for 16 to 24-year-olds hit a record high of 1.02 million for the quarter, adding to the new unemployment rate of 8.3%.

Responding to the unemployment statistics, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Liam Byrne, said young people were paying a "brutal price" for the Government’s economic policy.

"The verdict is in: this Government is failing an entire generation," Mr Byrne said.

“Today the Government have been given a million reasons to change course on the economy. Our country has not confronted youth unemployment on this scale since records began. And since January there has been an 83% rise in young people on the dole for six months or more.

"The news that a million young people are standing idle must shock this out of touch Prime Minister into an economic re-think, and fast."

Mr Byrne said that Britain’s economic recovery was "choked off" a year ago and unemployment started rising again well before the recent eurozone crisis.

“This sacrifice is without sense. Today we are now stuck in a vicious cycle, with more people out of work pushing up the benefits bill and making the deficit harder to get down, not easier.”

The number of people out of work and claiming Jobseeker's Allowance rose by 5,300 to 1.6 million in October.

The unemployment rate of 8.3% is the highest since 1996 and the total number of unemployed people the highest since 1994.

(DW)

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