UNEMPLOYMENT DOUBLES IN CORNWALL

11.15.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 24th Apr 2009

Unemployment has doubled in Cornwall since last year; official figures released this week show.

Across Cornwall almost 5,000 people lost their jobs in the past 12 months with nearly 10,000 people now claiming Jobseeker's Allowance.

The five-strong team of local Liberal Democrat MPs has condemned the Government's closure of local Job Centres, and is campaigning for new centres to open as part of the Cornwall Council's one stop shops.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy said:

"Gordon Brown claims 1 million new jobs will be created across the country but this will seem nothing but an empty promise to the thousands of local people without a job.

"These figures make the government's recent policy of closing local Job Centres even more inexcusable - it's clear that more and more people will be relying on the services they provide, not fewer.

"In difficult economic times, the government should be increasing their support to local people looking for work - instead the evidence on the ground suggests that funding for education and training is being squeezed, and HMRC are still not offering many local businesses the much needed flexibility they promised. National announcements aimed at grabbing the headlines are having little impact on the people that need help the most.

"There is vital support out there for people who have lost their job such as the council's public sector task force which provides co-ordinated services, help and advice on benefits, jobs and training opportunities."

Dan Rogerson, MP for North Cornwall, added:

"It is particularly absurd for the Government to cut back on Job Centres at a time when more people are seeking employment than at any time since the Conservatives last plunged Britain's economy into recession.

"I am keen that the new Cornwall Council provides job seeking services in its new offices. If the Government in London is determined to leave Cornwall high and dry, we must act ourselves to help local people.

"The government should stop wasting billions on a VAT cut that doesn't work and doesn't create jobs. Instead they should use that money to create new jobs and invest in local businesses."