Phi Wire Hand Picked Politics - Live

  • Paul Waugh | Treasury sources point out IMF language has changed notably from 'playing with f...

    • source icon
    • 13:17
    • Paul Waugh

  • Faisal Islam | just interviewed IMF's David Lipton. he thinks immediate pace of current fiscal ...

    • source icon
    • 13:03
    • Faisal Islam

  • I wasn't in Edinburgh Airport on Sunday so logically there can't have been an Er...

    • source icon
    • 12:48
    • Tony Grew

  • Political Scrapbook | UKIP economics spokesman: “I hope thousands of jobs will be lost”

    • source icon
    • 12:48
    • Political Scrapbook

  • Interesting that IMF joins chorus of criticism of Help to Buy and says govt shou...

    • source icon
    • 12:31
    • Isabel Hardman

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

  • PoliticsHome | Only the latest five entries on the PhiWire are visible to non-subscribers

    • Sign up to see last 24 hours

PoliticsHome. All Todays Politics In One Place

Story Tracker

Select Story:

Unemployment falls to 2.49m

Unemployment falls to 2.49m
David Cameron has claimed new unemployment figures show the Government is "on the right track" but Labour insisted they do not point to a "roaring recovery",

Unemployment fell by 37,000 to 2.49m in the three months to November, the Office for National Statistics has revealed.

The unemployment rate now stands at 7.7% - down 0.7% on this time this year.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said: "There are now more people employed in the private sector than ever before and more women employed...than ever before."

He added: "What is remarkable is that employment is up in every region and unemployment is down in every region. This I think shows that we are on the right track."

Employment Minister Mark Hoban welcomed the "good figures", but said ministers "can't afford to be complacent".

"We know there are difficult economic challenges ahead and we need to work continually to get people into work," he told BBC News.

However, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liam Byrne said: "Today's headline fall in unemployment is welcome news.

"But today's figures show no roaring recovery, they show very shaky foundations. Half of the country saw yet another rise in unemployment, nearly half a million people have been on the dole for more than a year, and youth unemployment rose.

"Worse, there are now more people on the dole long term than at any time since October 1997, there are more signing on for over two years than at any time since the 90s - and there are now more people in temporary jobs than at any time since July 2001."

Related News

Green Box: Unemployment falls to 2.49mClick to open

+ Expand all - Collapse all

Recommended External Links

Full access for £22 a month...

PoliticsHome PRO Find out more

Related PRO Content

Free Trial

On air

Mark Hoban: Good figures, but we can't be complacent

23/01/2013 on BBC News

On air

Liam Byrne: We cannot afford this high level of long-term unemployment

23/01/2013 on BBC News

Press Release

IPPR: Welcome fall in unemployment

23/01/2013

Press Release

Labour: Fall in unemployment welcome news, but figures show no roaring recovery - Byrne

23/01/2013

Press Release

TUC: Despite good figures today, long-term jobless picture is worrying

23/01/2013

Press Release

CIPD: Strong jobs growth leads to a reduction in unemployment but young people are not benefitting

23/01/2013

Latest PRO Content

Free Trial

On Air

Summaries and transcripts from TV and radio

Danny Alexander: Govt has got economic balance right

17 minutes ago on World at One, BBC Radio 4

Ed Balls: IMF warning of long-term damage to economy

24 minutes ago on World at One, BBC Radio 4

Michael Gove: Free schools local democracy in action

2 hours ago on BBC News

See all On Air

Commons Reports

MPs pass equal marriage bill

21/05/2013

Transcript

IMF report on economic outlook

1 hour ago

See all Transcripts

Press Releases

TUC: Chancellor should heed IMF advice and boost capital spending

28 minutes ago

See all Press Releases

Lobby Briefings

No 10: PM echoes Hunt comments on Nicholson

21/05/2013

See all Lobby Briefings