Log-term unemployment in Swindon has increased over the last year, new data has shown. Labour Market Statistics released yesterday show that from March 2012 to March 2013 the number of long-term job seekers from North Swindon has increased by 28% and in South Swindon the number of long-term job seekers has increased by 10%. And young people claiming job seekers allowance over the last twelve months has increased by 200% in North Swindon and has increased by 110% in South Swindon.
Log-term unemployment in Swindon has increased over the last year, new data has shown. Labour Market Statistics released yesterday show that from March 2012 to March 2013 the number of long-term job seekers from North Swindon has increased by 28% and in South Swindon the number of long-term job seekers has increased by 10%. And young people claiming job seekers allowance over the last twelve months has increased by 200% in North Swindon and has increased by 110% in South Swindon.
This news comes following it being announced that UK unemployment has increased by 70,000 to 2.56 million over the last quarter and follows a report by Shelter which says that average real wages in Swindon have reduced by 1.9%.
Councilor Mark Dempsey, the Labour Group’s Deputy Leader and Parliamentary Candidate for North Swindon, said:
‘Long-term unemployment has increased by 28% in North Swindon and by 10% in South Swindon. And long term youth unemployment has increased by a staggering 200%. It is getting clearer by the day that the Tories economic plan has completely failed and that Swindon is counting the cost of this failure.
In Swindon we can all see the cost of Tory failure: Families feeling the squeeze; businesses laying off workers; and empty shops on the high street.
Businesses, economists and now the IMF are saying the same – the Tories economic strategy simply is not working.
This is further evidence that the country and Swindon needs a plan for growth to rebuild our economy.
Nationally, I believe we need action to invest in infrastructure projects and more affordable housing to create jobs now and rebuild our economy for the future. As a first step we have proposed to use the money from the 4G auction to start building 100,000 new affordable homes.
And in Swindon, this means having an economic strategy which provides a clear direction for how Swindon can grow, as well as expanding Swindon’s apprenticeship programme for young people and providing real help for the High Street.”
We urgently need action to get local people into work. This is why Labour is calling for a compulsory jobs guarantee, which will get any adult out of work for more than two years, or young person out of work for a year, into a job – one they would be required to take.
This is the real change our town needs – a One Nation economy that works for working people.
Cllr Mark Dempsey
Swindon Labour Group Deputy Leader