John Battle MP Welcomes West Leeds Jobs

John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West, welcomed figures released this week showing that 2,380 people in Leeds West have been helped into work by the New Deal.

He said, "The New Deal has made a huge difference in our area. 2,380 people have got off benefits and started work thanks to the New Deal.

"I remember when the numbers on the dole in Leeds West reached over 6,000 under the Tories – part of the national picture of unemployment over 3 million, long-term youth unemployment hitting 300,000 and the numbers on incapacity benefit trebling. Unemployment in Leeds West is now down to just 1,486, the lowest this constituency has ever seen.

"It is staggering that the Tories announced this week that they plan to scrap the New Deal as part of their proposed spending cuts. They clearly haven't learnt lessons from the last time they were in power – and amazingly, nor have the Liberal Democrats, who have also promised to cut the New Deal despite its success.”

"Jobs and skills are absolutely vital to our communities, and as well as the Government’s New Deal and the excellent job Chancellor Gordon Brown has done with the economy, the West Leeds Family Learning Centre is doing a brilliant job providing training and skills and help back to work for people across my constituency. We must make sure the Tories never get a chance to wreck the nation’s economy again, and I trust that here in Leeds the Tory/LibDem/Green coalition will not cut the Family Learning Centre and lock thousands of my constituents out of the city’s prosperity."

©John Battle MP 21 January 2005