Don’t scrap the Future Jobs Fund

"Don’t scrap the Future Jobs Fund" – Labour North West spokesman MP Phil Woolas

Labour Regional spokesman MP Phil Woolas is urging the Tory–Lib Dem government not to cut support for jobs and the economy as figures released today show that unemployment in the North West is now at 294,000.

Labour’s Future Jobs Fund has created over 18,000 youth jobs in the North West.

But the government is scrapping this help and axing future opportunities for local young people with North West potentially the hardest hit region in the country.

The MP believes these figures show we are not out of the woods yet and now is the wrong time to cut support for the economy and help for people looking for work.

Labour North West spokesman, MP Phil Woolas, said:

"The Labour government was determined not to repeat the Tory mistakes of past recessions. That’s why I backed the Future Jobs Fund and the opportunities it created for local young people.

"Now the Tory – Lib Dem government say they will axe around 12,000 jobs in the North West, wasting the talent of an entire generation.

"I will fight these cuts and not let them turn their backs on our area again."

Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

"These figures show why it would be mad to cut support for jobs and the economy right now.

"Unemployment is slightly lower this month and it’s still half the level of the 80s and 90s recessions because of the action the Labour government took.

"But unemployment is still too high. That’s why it would be crazy to axe 90,000 Future Jobs Fund jobs and cut support for the economy now as the Tory Liberal government plans.

"Independent experts have warned that their actions risk pushing unemployment up to 3 million. We believe that unemployment is never a price worth paying."

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