PRESS RELEASES

18th January 2006

Biggest Rise in Unemployment in 12 Years

Figures show the number of people out of work in the UK rose by 111,000 to a three-year high of 1.53 million in the 3 months to November. The rise was the biggest for 12 years and lifted the jobless rate to 5%.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting, Stephanie Dearden said:-

What could have been dismissed as a temporary blip is now becoming a worrying permanent trend. The UK is heading back to the bad old days, and with worries growing over personal debt we could see people struggling to pay their mortgages and worrying about whether they will soon have a job
 

ENDS

  Stephanie Dearden

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Tooting

Notes to editors

1. If you would like to arrange an interview with Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting Stephanie Dearden then please call 020-7771-2551 or 07985-649807 or 07754 583090
2. Official photographs here http://www.stephaniedearden.org/smd_mugs/index.htm