NewsBiscuit

There was some rare good news for the Government today as it published figures showing that the number of people waiting for jobless opportunities has reduced significantly since the start of the economic downturn. Waiting times for unemployment have also fallen in what the Government is describing as ‘a real turnaround in performance against a key economic measure’.

‘The queue for the dole queue is now substantially shorter than this time last year, and the position compared to three years ago has been completely transformed,’ said Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell today. ‘We accept there are still people on waiting lists, but we’re working hard to get them out of paid employment as quickly as we can. It’s only right that people should have immediate access to key public services such as unemployment benefits and the excellent professional advice provided by jobcentre staff.’

Economic commentators have welcomed the news citing studies that show if people find themselves in paid employment for too long they lose their self-esteem, their work-dodging and interview-failing skills become outdated and they quickly lose touch with the jobless market. Equalities groups have been quick to spot the wider opportunities presented by the looming recession.

‘Unemployment has traditionally been seen as the preserve of the lazy and incompetent,’ said Trevor Phillips, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, ‘but the challenging economic outlook ought to create openings for the hardworking and the able who too often haven’t been given a fair crack at worklessness.’

Perhaps most encouragingly for the Government, members of the public have applauded the initiative as one which really appears to be making a difference. ‘It’s about time too,’ said recently laid off Steve Fullerton from Wolverhampton. ‘There’s no hiding from the fact that there were some really tough times for the work-shy during the boom years. Work was everywhere you looked and whole communities were blighted by paid employment. There were times when I didn’t know where my next day of indolence was coming from, when I thought I’d been left on the shelf and no one would give me a chance, but now I can look ahead to a much less demanding future.’

Genghis Cohen

Posted: Jan 27th, 2009 by Genghis Cohen