December 2010
Unemployment rise on a scale not seen since the recession
The unemployment rate rose from 7.7 to 7.9 per cent, the highest since March, while the employment figures are equally grotty, down 64,000 from last month.
IFS shoots coalition’s deadweight EMA cuts argument to pieces
Using a new fangled technique the IFS yesterday finally shot to pieces the coalition’s arguments in favour of abolishing Education Maintenance Allowance.
Pickles using smoke and mirrors to hide scale of cuts to councils
Shadow communities minister Barbara Keeley argues Eric Pickles is hiding the true scale of the cuts to councils, which hit the most deprived areas the hardest.
Cuts to NHS and social care services likely, says health select committee
The likelihood of cuts to health and social care services, and the destabilising effect of the Coalition’s market-driven NHS reforms, were endorsed today in a remarkable health select committee report. The committee, with a coalition majority and chaired by ex-Tory health secretary Stephen Dorrell, was reporting on implications and risks from the Spending Review.
Experian study muddles up ‘Middle Britain’
The new study by Experian confused what constitutes the real 'middle Britain', reports Chris Tarquini.
Uneven inflation costing low-to-middle earners £150 a year
The CPI incread from 3.2% to 3.3% – above the government’s official target of 2% for the 11th month in a row – and the wider RPI measure rose from 4.5% to 4.7%.