UNEMPLOYMENT IN STOCKPORT OVER TEN PERCENT HIGHER THAN WHEN LABOUR CAME INTO POWER

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 28th Apr 2009

Unemployment in Stockport is now over ten percent higher than when Labour came to power, local MP Andrew Stunell has discovered.

According to the Office of National Statistics, a further 369 have been added to the dole queue in Stockport in the last month. This brings the tally of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance up to 7,730, which is over 700 more than the 7,005 unemployed twelve years ago in March 1997.

Across Greater Manchester there was further bad news as the month of March saw another 3,317 people lose their jobs.

Commenting, Andrew said:

"Despite some sterling work by local businesses and the Council, these figures show that the recession is hitting Stockport. Jobs and homes are being lost and the fact that the Labour Government has failed Stockport is becoming more and more clear.

"Gordon Brown's ten years as Chancellor and two years as Prime Minister have brought us right back to where we started after the ravages of the Conservative era.

"This news arrives on the back of the gloomiest post-war Budget yet, and one in which the Government have yet again failed to help those who need it the most."

ENDS