What the BBC and Labour don't tell us about unemployment

Here's some interesting facts about UK unemployment and employment:

'1. There are fewer people employed than at any time in the last 12 years
The employment rate in the three months to January 2010 is 72.2% - it fell by 54,000 on the quarter to reach 28.86m.

3. If you work in the private sector, wages are going down … in the public sector, they're going up
Average weekly earnings in the private sector are £426 per week - down 0.7% on January 2009. In the public sector, they're higher - £461 per week, up 4.1% on Jan 2009.

4. Public sector jobs are still going up
6m people are employed in the public sector - +46,000 on the year. 21.1% of us work in the public sector. The biggest percentage increase has been in the NHS - up by 4% on the year to 1.6m people in January. In contrast, private sector employment is down by 527,000.

7. There are more long-term unemployed
Those unemployed over six months has gone up by 58.7% to 549,000 people.

8. More of us are part-time
Part-time jobs are up - by 1.3% or 87,000 on the year. Meanwhile full-time employment has gone down by 3.4% (-642,000).

9. There are less young people employed
Employment is down for 16-17 year-olds (by 22.2% or 109,000) and 18-24 year-olds (down 6.6% or 237,000)'

Thanks to My Thoughts My Country for the spot and for some great information on other matters, a site that is well worth a visit.


Yet the BBC still push the Labour line that the recovery has started and that ll will be well under Gordon Brown's continued Premiership. It won't be, the UK economy is more screwed than most people realise but that won't stop the BBC supporting their political friends.