Job losses - Firms’ ability to compete hit by taxes

COMING in the wake of a deeply depressing week of more than 1,000 job losses, today’s news that the Government is expected to announce the creation of 1,000 jobs this week is heartening.

This marks a welcome reversal of a trend where pressure is mounting on hi-technology companies to pack up and move to cheaper locations in Eastern Europe or the sweat-shop economies of the Far East.

By any yardstick, the past week has been the worst for job losses in a long time.