Ahead of his PMQs debut, George Osborne is boosted by the news that unemployment is down again. As the chart above shows, the government’s jobs miracle continues with just over 31 million now in work. Between February and April this year, unemployment fell by 43,000 to 1.81 million. With inflation low and pay packets growing, the declining cost of living, the government is feeling vindicated with its economic plan. Employment minister Priti Patel said this morning:
‘Today’s figures confirm that our long-term economic plan is already starting to deliver a better, more prosperous future for the whole of the country, with wages rising, more people finding jobs and more women in work than ever before.’
With the continual rise of employment, Labour is stuck with very little to say. Stephen Timms, the shadow work and pensions secretary, welcomed the figures and took a swipe about young unemployment:
‘The fall in overall unemployment is welcome, but with more than 740,000 young people unemployed it’s clear the government needs to do far more to give young people the chance to earn a living.
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