Angela Eagle: The Government must address unemployment problem

Mar 23 2011 Wallasey News

FIGURES released last week revealed that unemployment has reached a 17-year high.

Unemployment now stands worryingly over 2.5 million and youth joblessness is at record levels. House of Commons research shows that in Wirral there are almost 9,000 people out of work... putting us way above the North West and national averages.

Wirral especially is being hit hard by job losses and the situation here has not been helped by the council’s decision to cut 1,100 jobs.

Meanwhile, we are still locked in a battle to save jobs at Burtons Biscuit Factory.

The rise in unemployment is deeply worrying and I’m concerned that without Government action now the problem will grow and become worse than it was in the 1980s.

That is why I have urged the Chancellor of the Exchequer to do something about it in his Budget this week.

I have called on him to repeat last year’s bank bonus tax and use the money help get people back into work.

I don’t believe Wirral people should be paying the price for the greedy behaviour of the banks. So it is only right the Chancellor makes them pay more to help people and families.

A total of £2bn could be raised from repeating the bank bonus tax and would help to create tens of thousands of new jobs and help to support new investment up and down the country.

At the Budget today, Wednesday, the Government must address the unemployment problem and accept that people need help now.