Green Party: Employment figures don’t mask job market built on sand
15 February 2017
* Employment may be up but almost 4 million [1] people have insecure jobs which barely make ends meet
The Green Party has said figures [1] which show employment is at the highest rate ever should not be allowed to mask the insecurity facing so many families in Britain today as wage growth slows.
Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:
“These latest figures should not mask a job market built on sand. Wage growth has slowed just as the inflation rate hits its highest level in two years. Almost 4 million [2] people are still in insecure jobs which barely allow them to make ends meet. People need quality jobs they can build a life on.
“With the Government threatening to push Britain off the Brexit cliff-edge the endemic insecurity across the country risks getting much worse, as people’s livelihoods are sold down the river by a Prime Minister threatening to turn this country into an offshore tax haven.
“In this age of insecurity we should be thinking big about how we build an economy that works for everyone. That’s why the Government should follow the lead of countries like Finland which are investigating the merits of introducing a basic income, to stop people falling into poverty, while providing the choice, security and stability they need.”