Unite: Recession and budget is proof Osborne is not up to the job
Wednesday, 25 April 2012 1:07 PM
Unite, Britain's biggest union, says Britain's return to recession and the government's disastrous budget is proof that George Osborne is not up to the job.
The UK is back in recession after a 0.2% contraction in the economy in the first quarter of 2012, according to the ONS. The decline in gross domestic product (GDP) was driven by the biggest fall in construction output for three years, while the manufacturing sector failed to return to growth.
Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said:
"Britain's return to recession and the government's disastrous budget is proof that George Osborne is not up to the job.
"The government's economic credibility is now in tatters because we have a chancellor who is anti-growth and fixated on austerity. If this discredited coalition had a growth strategy, it's obvious the figures would be better than they are.
"Britain needs an economic heavyweight fighting for Britain in these bleak times not a dilettante playing at being chancellor.
"What we need is a strategy for growth and jobs, not the shambles of pasty and granny taxes.
"We can see the effects of his ineptitude in the boarded up shops no longer trading on our high streets and the stretching queues for unemployment benefit. "
Investing £6bn to build 100,00 extra social and affordable homes would start to tackle the housing crisis and create new jobs in construction and the supply chain, putting money in people's pockets to spend on the High Street.
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
notes to editors
Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with 1.5 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.
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Tags:
- double dip recession ,
- gdp ,
- gdp growth ,
- george osborne ,
- recession
