Commenting on growth figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) today (Friday) TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “This is now the longest recession in modern economic history. Even the co-ordinated world-wide stimulus has not been able to halt the damage done by the financial crash.
“Even if we had achieved a technical recovery today, it would not feel like a recovery to the thousands losing their jobs or afraid that they will join the dole queue in the months ahead when unemployment will continue rising. It takes more than a statistical read out and the return of big bank bonuses for a real recovery.
“These worse than expected figures should head off the growing signs of complacency. The economy is still extremely fragile. Any halt in economic stimulus – or even worse, cuts in spending in a premature effort to close the deficit – could easily send us into another downwards spiral.
“Politicians cannot now say that the recession is over so we can go back to treating the unemployed as work-shy scroungers rather than victims of the financial crash. Fighting unemployment – particularly among the young – must be national priority number one.”
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