Wakefield jobless toll rises again

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh has hit out at the Tory led government's indifference to the jobs crisis in the city.  On Wednesday 14th March new unemployment statistics showed that almost 10,000 people are claiming Jobseekers Allowance in Wakefield - a 15% rise since May 2010 and the highest level since February 1997.  

Women and young people are being particularly hard hit, with the  female claimant count up 35% since May 2010, and long term claimants amongst young people up 153% on a year ago. 

Mary said: "It is a huge worry that nearly 10,000 people are out of work in Wakefield, the highest number for 15 years.  Long term youth unemployment has more than doubled in one year, after the government axed Labour’s Future Jobs fund which created 300 jobs in the district. Our young people are paying the price for this government’s indifference”.

“Out of touch ministers need to wake up to the jobs crisis they're responsible for and take urgent action now. At the budget next week the Chancellor should adopt Labour's five point plan for jobs, tax bankers' bonuses to fund 100,000 youth jobs and give a tax break to small firms taking on workers to get people in Wakefield back to work."