TUC on job figures

Commenting on the job figures published today TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

These are worrying figures. Employment is down, whilst unemployment, economic inactivity and involuntary part-time work are all up. Manufacturing lost 15,000 jobs between December and January, and 117,000 jobs over 2005. The Bank must surely now accept the case for a cut in interest rates, and the government should significantly increase investment in programmes that help the unemployed back get back into work.