How dare this Government take it out on northerners

MICHAEL Meacher has accused the Government of victimising northerners for not working — when there are fewer jobs and so many more people chasing each vacancy than in the south.

Mr Meacher said government policy of reducing the deficit at the cost of abandoning full employment was punishing northern people for living in areas of high unemployment.

The Oldham West and Royton Labour MP said: “Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said he could live on Jobseekers’ Allowance if he had to for a week.

“Many job seekers have to endure more than six months of financial struggle. I don’t believe for a second Iain Duncan Smith could do that, and he wouldn’t dare try to do it.

“He’s also told us everyone should get a job and stop whinging.

“So how would he get a job in Salford, Hull, Rochdale and the Wirral, where last month 76 unemployed people were applying for every vacancy?

“It’s easy enough in Cambridge, Guildford, Winchester and Reading since nine out of 10 easiest areas to find a job are in southern England.”

Mr Meacher said while he welcomed the fifth consecutive fall in people claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in Oldham, the figures were still shockingly high.

He added: “The elementary observation which seems to have escaped the Government is that what pushes up unemployment is not shirkers or skivers refusing to take jobs, but the sheer lack of vacancies in areas of low economic activity and poor growth prospects.”