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Wednesday, 17 February, 2010 
According to the ONS (Office of National Statistics) long-term unemployment, (those out of work for more than a year) increased by 37,000 in the quarter to December to 663,000, the highest figure since 1997. In addition the number of people classed as economically inactive reached a record high of 8.1 million, more than 21%, or one in five, of the working age population. The figure covers students, people looking after a sick relative, or those who have given up looking for work. Unemployment in the latest quarter fell by 3,000 to 2.46 million, giving a jobless rate of 7.8%, unchanged from the previous three months but the number of people in employment fell by 12,000 to just under 29 million. And there was a drop of 37,000 in full-time employment, offset by a 25,000 increase in part-time employment.
Of course I welcome any fall in fall in unemployment, no matter how small but the figures don't lie. The number of people claiming benefit is at an all time high, the number of economically inactive people is at an all time high and unemployment is higher than when Labour came to power in 1997.
Labour may claim that things would be worse under the Tories but every Labour Government in history has left office with unemployment higher than when it took office and once again Labour is just not working
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