MP Abrahams slams Government 'empty words' after sharp constituency unemployment rise
Date published: 16 December 2020
Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams
Data released by the House of Commons Library shows, compared to March, before the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the UK, there were 2,770 more people claiming unemployment support in November across the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency.
Young people are being particularly affected, with 1,270 claimants aged 18-24 in November, 600 more than in March 2020.
In total, 6,105 people were claiming unemployment social security support in the constituency in November, 9.3% of which were 16-64-year-olds, compared with 6.3% across the UK as a whole.
Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: “The Government’s failure to face up to the scale of this jobs crisis continues to cost people across my constituency their livelihoods.
"They promised to ‘level up’ at last December’s General Election, providing local support to address the regional inequalities in employment, economic growth and productivity.
"Yet these unemployment figures with Oldham’s unemployment rate significantly above the national average, shows that these were just empty words.
“The Government’s support for businesses and individuals during this pandemic has been inadequate.
"Nine months on, there has been no recognition of the sectors – hospitality, leisure, events, aviation – and workers that are really struggling with their one size fits all approach.
"On top of this there have been too many last-minute changes from this government.
"The Chancellor needs to urgently provide adequate support through the social security system to those who have lost their jobs and get Britain back to work when we start to emerge from this pandemic.
"It needs to bring forward investment in a green recovery which will help create hundreds of thousands of low-carbon jobs.
"As we fight to Build Back Better, we must make sure that we build back with quality, well paid jobs, providing training to help with skills development where needed.”
The most recent labour market stats (December 15) also show the number of people reporting they had been made redundant, across the UK, rose to a record high of 370,000 in the three months to October.
Mrs Abrahamsadded: "It's no coincidence that redundancies rocketed to record levels when the clock was ticking down to the Chancellor's furlough cliff edge and rising employer contributions were putting businesses under pressure.
"The Chancellor's irresponsible decisions haven't just cost jobs they've left us in the worst recession of any major economy.
“It was his decision to wind down the furlough scheme before we were out of this crisis, and his decision to wait until the last possible minute to change course.
“Employers can't afford to wait until the last minute again for the Chancellor to decide what happens to the furlough scheme at the end of January.
"They need clarity now."
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