Jonathan Ashworth comment on new ONS labour market stats

Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commenting on the latest ONS labour market statistics said:

“The government’s employment policies are failing to rebalance the economy, tackle economic insecurity and their Kickstart work programme has created nowhere near the 250,000 opportunities promised even though employers are desperate to get help finding staff.

“Eleven years of Tory economic failure has led to an explosion of in-work poverty and now families face a punishing triple-whammy of rising heating bills, rising prices in the shops and higher taxes. Yet again it’s working people being hammered under the Tories.

“Labour would help ease the burden by scrapping VAT on household heating bills over winter. And with our jobs promise and plan to buy, make and sell more in Britain, we will boost jobs and growth across all parts of our country.”