As unemployment hits the highest level since 1996, extraordinary benefit claimant figures reveal that the recession has divided the United Kingdom more than ever – with the jobless actually falling in some coalition constituencies while rising rapidly in Labour-held seats. In a damning indictment of David Cameron’s claim that “we are all in it together”, an analysis of the latest figures by the House of Commons Library names the worst 15 jobless constituencies as well as the 15 which have hardly been touched by the downturn.
Twelve out of 15 of the hardest-hit constituencies with the highest claimant count are Labour-held – the other three are Sinn Fein, DUP and SDLP. All 15 with the lowest claimant counts are Conservative and Liberal Democrat, including the Prime Minister’s own constituency of Witney, and some actually report unemployment is dropping, particularly among the long-term unemployed.
Four of the worst jobless blackspots are in Birmingham – in seats held by Shabana Mahmood, Liam Byrne (the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary), Jack Dromey and Roger Godsiff.
Mahmood’s seat – Birmingham Ladywood – is the highest in the United Kingdom for people claiming the Jobseeker’s Allowance with more than 9,000 people claiming JSA, including 2,370 claiming for more than a year. This is up almost by 1,000 since a year ago – with a 310 increase in long-term claims. More than one in five people in her constituency are claiming JSA. Liam Byrne’s seat – Birmingham Hodge Hill – is the second highest with 7,234 claiming JSA, 1,750 for more than a year. This is a rise of 723 and 250 in a year.
Other Labour seats with high claimant rates include two in Liverpool – held by Louise Ellman and Steve Rotherham – Middlesbrough, held by Stuart Bell, and Nottingham North held by Graham Allen.
The two seats with the lowest claimant count are West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and Gordon – both held by Liberal Democrats. West Aberdeenshire, held by Robert Smith, has 511 people claiming JSA – one in 100 people in his constituency – down by 20 from a year ago. Gordon, held by Malcolm Bruce, has 630 claiming JSA – down 52 in a year.
Among the Tories, John Redwood’s Wokingham constituency is also one of the lowest – the number claiming JSA has fallen from 953 to 936 with 15 fewer claiming for more than a year. A detailed analysis shows an increase in claims from people aged under 24 being more than offset by a fall in claims from older people, including the over 50s.
