The latest unemployment figures for December show that Burton has suffered the worst increase in unemployment in the West Midlands in the last 12 months, and is amongst the top 10 of job loss black spots nationally.

The national figures for December show that unemployment in the Burton constituency has increased by 92% on the same period last year, and that 2.6% of the population are now unemployed.

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Burton & Uttoxeter Andrew Griffiths said,

“This is terrible news for Burton & Uttoxeter and shows that we are suffering more than most. Job losses at JCB, Toyota and lots of small businesses are all adding up to a terribly bleak picture for East Staffordshire .

Andrew added,

“What is most worrying is that these figures do not include the 246 job losses at the Fole dairy or the closure of Woolworths in Burton and Uttoxeter. Gordon Brown has allowed the level of government, corporate and personal debt to rise too high. Labour’s Debt Crisis means we are in a weaker economic position than other countries and it is clear that many families in Burton face a bleak and uncertain future.”