British government jobs plans dubbed ‘fantasy island politics’

BRITISH government plans to move huge numbers of benefit claimants into work were dubbed “fantasy island politics” yesterday when a union warned there were not enough jobs.

The general union GMB (formerly the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union) issued its warning after conducting a study giving a regional breakdown of unemployment and those classed as economically inactive.

The West Midlands topped the league of the 11 regions in Britain for unemployment expressed as a percentage of those of working age in the area.