25 Jan Stephen Metcalfe MP Welcomes the Record Breaking Employment Figures
Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon and East Thurrock, welcomes the latest figures that show unemployment is at the lowest rate since 1975 with over three million more people in work since 2010. Locally, the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 1,272 – a 56% drop since 2010!
This means 3,068,000 people are in work in the East of England – an increase of 324,000 since the Conservatives came into Government. Unemployment is now at its lowest level in over 40 years.
In 2017, more than 10 employment records were broken. The employment rate and the number of people in work, the number of women in work and black and minority ethnic employment all reached record highs during the year.
Welcoming the positive local news, Stephen said:“This recorded breaking fall in unemployment shows us that the actions we have taken are making a real difference towards getting people into work. Since I became elected in 2010, we have over halved unemployment in South Basildon and East Thurrock. This has been done through cutting taxes on business, investing in skills and reforming the welfare system. I of course understand there is always more to do and will continue to work to make sure that our economy remains strong so it continues to create the better, higher-paying jobs that people deserve”.
