New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that unemployment has risen to 5% in a weakening job market. The picture is even worse for the yoof…
Unemployment rose above expectations from 4.9% to 5% in the first quarter of 2026. Monthly payrolls contracted by 100,000 in April and 28,000 in March. The number of job vacancies has also fallen to the lowest level in five years after dropping 28,000 to 705,000…
Andrew Griffith, Shadow Business Secretary, said:
“The rise in the unemployment rate confirms the worrying state of the jobs market. Labour’s job destroying legislation and employment tax rises are piling costs onto employers and workers are paying the price.”
16-24s out of work has risen to 16.2% which is the highest level since January 2015. In addition pay growth has fallen to its lowest level since October 2020, mid-pandemic. This is the happy economic picture Reeves is waving around to Labour MPs to prove how crucial she is…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”