British jobs for British workers?

The Prime Minister must be regretting that he ever made that pledge. He is now trying to pretend that the words do not mean what he was trying to say!!

Official figures show that over the three months to September the number of people in work in the UK increased by 69,000, to reach 29.2 million. We have not had the usual fanfare yet, but if it is true than it is an achievement for the UK economy.

Unfortunately over the same period, the number claiming unemployment benefit also increased , by 6,000 to 1.67 million.

It is possible that some recipients of incapacity benefit were enticed to the lower paying unemployment benefit or other benefit, either directly or after temporary employment. It is highly likely, however, that what we are seeing is jobs being taken by immigrants.

Given that most immigrants do not have English as their first language and are thus at a disadvantage, it suggests that the immigrants are better qualified generally or better motivated than their English unemployed competitors. It is also true that if there is a down-turn in the economy, with jobs lost and vacancies disappearing the immigrants will in many cases merely return home. What will happen to our own unemployed?

Somehow, it is a terrible reflection and indictment on a "successful" 10 year chancellor and a government who believed in "education, education, education".