New figures today showed that unemployment has increased by 80,000 to 2.51 million in the three months to July, the largest increase in more than two years. In Wolverhampton, nearly 12,000 (7.8%) people are unemployed, the second highest number in the UK.

Responding to today’s unemployment figures, Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East, said “Once again we see Wolverhampton being left behind by the government’s failing economic plan. Last May unemployment was falling, but now it is increasing again. Here in Wolverhampton unemployment is more than twice the national average. The Tory-led government have scrapped Advantage West Midlands, slashed local government jobs and completely overlooked the Black Country in the Regional Growth Fund.

“The government have got to get growth going in regions like the Black Country if we are to avoid a repeat of the 1980s with a whole generation lost to unemployment. These figures just go to show that Wolverhampton’s economy isn’t safe in Tory hands.”   

September 2011