And another thing…

7,000 is a start, so long as they aren’t on the job centre training merry-go-round, shifted to other benefits, or just denied benefit

I think it would be more credulous to make comparisons with earlier periods if you used the same standards and compliances for figures. We really need to know how many people are economically inactive

As they say, one swallow doesn’t make a summer but I hope that it is a signal even though the private and commercial property bubble is still waiting

Well May said:

“Despite the welcome news of this fall, we’re not out of the woods yet,” she said.

Now R5L are reporting that Yvette Cooper is expecting unemployment to rise again.

Temporary Christmas jobs only provide a cheer at Christmas they don’t lift the gloom of another depressed new Year beginning under Labour.

There’s nothing much to be happy about so what are you smirking about Tom?

Perhaps you should be more concerned about the workers at Eon and Cadburys?.

A fall of 7,000 in December, when retail and the hospitality sector take on thousands of additional staff, and Royal Mail recruits seasonal workers, doesn’t sound like much to be proud of, but then, Labour is so easily pleased. Given that the budget deficit for December is probably at least £15bn, that works out at just over £2m for each job saved.

Bargain.

I’m sorry but this post smacks somewhat of gloating, I don’t think that’s appropriate or beneficial to Labour given that those in employment are still concerned about their jobs and unemployment is still too high. Maybe it sounds good around Westminster.

May is right, a one month’s rise is proof yet of nothing, and watching PMQ’s today the only person that seemed devastated was Brown, with pre-prepared lines he was clearly disappointing that Cameron didn’t ask questions on the economy – a point he made later with a line that he noticed this – Cameron asked questions about the case of the children in Doncaster.

Nothing gets in the way of scoring political points it seems even when it concerns children. (and that’s a criticism of both side of the political line).

Yes, yes. We’ve all seen Prezza gloating about this on Twitter too.

Shame that the drop is largely due to the creation of thousand of fake public sector jobs, which will melt like the snow post-election.

She’s arguing that while unemployment may be falling underemployment may still be rising. Regardless, more people in employment, paying taxes and not claiming benefit is a very good thing.

The recent inflation figures may make this point moot though.

It’s always all about the politics and not about the people with the Left isn’t it?

It’s the faux hand-wringing from Ms May when unemployment figures are up, which is just a weeny bit irritating – since her party are pinning their hopes on people falling for the ‘Labour isn’t working’ line that worked so well for them back in 1979. Their solution then, as it turned out, was to, erm, make it a lot worse, which was quite a novel approach.

I have to add that I actually like Theresa May, she does seem sincere and well-meaning (if misguided). And it was her who brought the phrase ‘the Nasty Party’ to national attention (her speech at conference). I can say in all honesty I’d never heard the Tories described as that before, and probably most people (outside Labour circles) hadn’t, either. Now it’s practically the first thing you think of when you hear the word ‘Tory’. So well done, Theresa, on providing such a helpful public service.

Net jobs were actually destroyed in December. If unemployment fell – wahey! – then we should not forget that employment fell by a greater amount. So no cause for celebrations. Or jokes.

“monthly”, wasn’t it for the quarter?

Unemployment down 7K on the quarter, employment down 14K on the quarter? HUH?

Lies , damn lies and government stats’ , not that any party has ever been squeaky clean on employment figures, its always a game of find the fiddle.

Yes Tom, but its only tempory. We have not started paying off Labours debt yet and when that starts there will be massive job losses in the public sector.
All Labour is about is todays headlines they are not interersted in the future.

Trust the Tory faithful and the Labour faithless to come to the aid of St Theresa.

Not only will there be massive job losses in the public sector, but the swell will be increased when Incapacity Benefit claimants are forced onto Job Seekers Allowance as a result of very tough new tests which purport to focus on what people can do rather than what they can’t.

So when the time comes that unemployment peaks, disabled people will be forced to compete with fit, healthy, young people for the few jobs available.

Such is the compassion of New Labour.

Channel 4 went to look at the economically inactive

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/unemployment+drops+for+first+time+in+18+months/3509152

The number of people classed as “economically inactive” rose to a record high of 8.05 million in the three months to November.

Is that why Ms Balls shut up?

I watched Ms May on BBC 24hr news.

Her words said she was pleased at the fall, but the expression on her face gave the impression that she was forcing down a whisky and cactus-needle cocktail with added soap suds.

Dear oh dear.

If it isn’t hurting it isn’t working….

According to the BBC news, employment has also fallen, so the fall in unemployment is caused by more people in education and training.

There also continues to be a rise in public sector jobs, and a fall in private sector jobs, so overall, the fall in unemployment will not boost the tax income, and therefore do nothing to pay off Gordons Browns massive debt.

I don’t think this is anything to gloat about.