Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to today’s Labour Market Statistics, said:  

“Today’s fall in overall unemployment is welcome, but wages remain sluggish and working people are £1,600 a year worse off since 2010.

“The Tory cost-of-living crisis and the Tory low-wage economy has left millions of people who do the right thing, work and contribute struggling to make ends meet and pay the bills. And David Cameron and George Osborne’s failure to tackle low pay is making it far harder to get the deficit down with income tax receipts across the Parliament £70 billion lower than forecast in 2010.

“A Labour government will tackle the Tory cost-of-living crisis and the Tory low-wage economy by raising the National Minimum Wage to £8 an hour, ensuring more people are paid a Living Wage, getting more homes built and extending free childcare provision. We will get the next generation into work by boosting apprenticeships.

“Tackling low pay is part of our tough, but balanced plan to get the deficit down and earn our way to higher living standards for all, not just a few at the top.

“Today’s figures also show a worrying rise in youth unemployment - the government should bring in a compulsory jobs guarantee to get young people into work.”