The latest labour market statistics published by the Office for national statistics show that unemployment in Britain has reached alarming levels. Unemployment is up by 281,000 in the three months to May 2009. The unemployment rate is 7.6%. The number of people in employment is down by 269,000 people to 29 million.

The number of people employed in the private sector is down by 286,000 people to 23.09 million. In the public sector, however, the number of people employed has gone up by 15,000 to 6.02 million.