Unemployment is spiralling out of control in Britain as the figures climb a little closer to the 2 million mark through the economic downturn.  However, the government is maintaining the message that the drought will be over soon and that things would ease up on those that are currently unemployed.

Between September and November of last year, a further 131,000 members of the public were added to the unemployment list which is now the highest it has been since the numbers started to be recorded back in 1995.  The unemployed in Britain make up 6.1 per cent of the population of the country and the two million mark is being said to be fast approaching.

However, the employment minister, Tony McNulty, has expressed his hope for the future of those unemployed and facing the possibility of unemployment, saying, “There is light at the end of the tunnel. It is some time off. This is not now life as we know it but we will get through it and people I think do need to understand that and cling to that hope.  Our message to job seekers is clear - we won’t give up on you but you mustn’t give up on looking for work.”

However, as per usual the Conservative party were keen to respond with contrasting views, as Theresa May, the shadow work and pensions secretary, announced how the government were clearly struggling against reality.

“Labour’s astonishing claim this morning that there is light at the end of the tunnel shows how out of touch they are. This is a Government that has clearly run out of ideas.  The rising tide of unemployment will be of real concern to hard pressed families up and down the country,” said May in opposition to Labour’s statement that everything will work out for the unemployed.

The chief UK economist at HIS Global Insight, Howard Archer, agreed with May by saying, “The bad news on the labour market is absolutely relentless now as the deepening recession, slumping business confidence and persistent very tight credit conditions exact a heavy toll. Reports of companies laying off workers are becoming more and more prevalent, while an increasing number of companies are folding.”

Making the matter even more difficult is the falling number of available jobs in the country.  The last quarter of 2008 saw the number of vacancies fall to 530,000, down from almost 600,000 as businesses in Britain are shying away from employing new staff and other businesses are failing to survive the harsh economic storm.

Some analysts are claiming that the job market will soon open up again as many eastern European immigrants living in Britain will likely return to their home countries for better employment opportunities, effectively freeing up a large number of jobs once again.  However, the forecasting group, the Ernst & Young Item Club, are claiming that the unemployment figures will hit 3.4 million before there is any relief.

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