‘What Wales needs now is jobs after largest rise in unemployment across UK’ – Plaid Cymru

The impact of the Coronavirus crisis has resulted in the highest increase in unemployment in Wales across UK. Helen Mary Jones MS says that the rise in joblessness shows why Wales needs Plaid Cymru’s job plan.

Unemployment in Wales for July to September leapt to 4.6%, an increase of 28,000 compared with April to June, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures.

The data suggests there were 42,000 fewer people working in Wales in the three months to September.

Helen Mary Jones MS, Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for the Economy and Tackling Poverty said:

“The coronavirus crisis has highlighted social inequalities and the vulnerabilities of day to day living for many people in Wales – and young people are in many ways hardest hit.

“It is young people who predominantly work in some of the hardest hit sectors like hospitality and they are losing jobs.

“There is a real risk that school and college leavers along with university graduates face unemployment when they join the post-COVID jobs market, which will cause long term damage to their job prospects unless major new support is provided. I know from talking to my daughter’s friends about how the lack of hope is pernicious.

“What Wales needs right now is job prospects for those leaving full time education and for young people who have lost their jobs. A Plaid Cymru Government would make this a priority.”

“Plaid Cymru would guarantee work for every 18-24-year-old – the scheme could be established by setting up a Future Wales Fund which would offer a job to every unemployed 18-24 year old in Wales. Job creation would be at the heart of a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government’s programme.”