Unemployment: Conman and Dobin to the rescue?

Conman and his faithful companion Dobin who is often taken for a ride

Devoid of any policies to create growth and employment for a lost generation, the government media machine is rumoured to be looking to heroes of yesteryear such as the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Batman and Robin, Etc., to re-produce some up-to-date fantasy features such as the old comedy, The Trickle Down Effect, in which the rich were handsomely rewarded on the premise that wealth would trickle down to the masses, well some of them. For the results of that policy look around. 


The last major feature, Squeeze the Public Sector, was based on the notion that by adding massive numbers of public sector employees to the dole queue, thus reducing the tax intake and paying more in benefits, the private sector would have far greater numbers to recruit from the enlarged pool of the unemployed. Alas this scenario was also one of make-believe because the private sector has done its own thing with less money around to stimulate the economy.


With the Prime Minister again declaring the latest unemployment figures 'disappointing',  it will be the task of Conman and Dobin to inject another feel-good factor, building on the make-believe world inhabited by the Employment Minister, Chris Grayling, who, not being unemployed himself, manages to sound extremely positive about the situation explaining that the figures are 'much more complex than the headlines suggest', a great comfort to the long term unemployed.

A question of trust

The 1979 election was said to have been won for the Conservatives by a fake 'Labour isn't working' poster. Today the published unemployment figures were simply described by the Prime Minister as "disappointing". Young people who have never worked will no doubt have a different description.

Attacking the public sector has been a key part of the Prime Minister's strategy. He suggests that cutting public sector jobs will enable the private sector to expand by picking-up the slack created. Not so thus far on today's figures. The smoke-screen of attacking the public sector is no substitute for a plan for growth.  Regions have been unjustly condemned for the size of public sector employment in their areas after it was created as a matter of government policy. People filling jobs that were dispersed from London to save money and mop up spare capacity created by the loss of manufacturing jobs are now blamed for current problems and their successors are being made redundant with little or no hope of work. 

Today Mr Cameron let slip another government aim of cutting public expenditure. After the Government's earlier gaff of predetermining the outcome of 'discussions' on public sector pensions, David Cameron quickly corrected himself in PM Questions when responding to Ed Miliband telling him that the government was cutting (reforming) public sector pensions. Is it surprising that public sector unions are threatening more public sector strikes?

  

Physicians heal thyselves!

Photo: PAUL GROVER

Ex-criminal lawyer and banker Francis Maude gave his practised smooth performance again on breakfast TV this morning as the public sector continues to be the government's whipping boy, or more likely girl these days, taking the blame for the spectacular failures of the private sector. Another MP and ex- minister paints a different picture here. 

The 'Millie Dowler' trial brought into sharp reality the role of the defence lawyer but fairness was thrown out of the window in the public sector pensions row when Danny Alexander announced the result of discussions with the unions while they were still taking place.

It was no surprise in this morning's interview that Mr Maude neatly side-stepped a question about MPs' rhodium plated pensions but then he is adept at avoiding tricky issues. 

"We are all in this together." (8)

Some of the 600,000 redundant public sector workers lucky enough to find another job may be less than thrilled with those the Prime Minister and his allies have managed to conjure up for them.