Mr Peter Bedford

Mr Peter Bedford

Conservative — Mid Leicestershire

Speaking in the House of Commons on 9 March 2026

Debate

Unemployment

Contribution

When this Government came into office, unemployment stood at 4.2%. After a brutal 18 months of job-destroying, anti-business, anti-growth policies, it now stands at 5.2%, with young people bearing the brunt—1 million of them are not in employment, education or training. We Conservatives believe in being in work and off welfare, and that is the best path to eradicating poverty. Will the Secretary of State break with the mistakes of all previous Labour Governments and commit that unemployment will be lower at the end of this Parliament than it was at the start?

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