UNEMPLOYMENT in Thurrock is at a 16 year high according, according to latest figures published last week.

Data published by the Office of National Statistics shows that the number of jobless is the highest it has been since May 1996, with problems in youth unemployment particularly bad.

There are currently 1,380 18 to 24 year olds without work in Thurrock, which is 9.8 per cent of people that age living in the area. That is considerably higher than the East of England average where only 7.3 per cent of young people are unemployed and higher too, than the national average of 8.4 per cent.

Polly Billington, the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Thurrock, said: “Long term youth unemployment here in Thurrock is up more than 150 per cent in the last year, yet the Government has still no alternative in place for Labour’s successful Future Jobs Fund. Our young people have been left to pay the price for this Government’s failure.”

The latest youth unemployment figures come as Jackie Doyle-Price, the Thurrock MP, announced during National Apprenticeship week at the beginning of February, that the number of apprentices in Thurrock has nearly doubled over the past year.

She has accused Thurrock Labour of distorting the facts: “Labour cannot stop themselves from talking Thurrock down. The Coalition Government is improving opportunities for young people, apprenticeships in Thurrock have doubled.

“Distorting figures in this way will only scare people. But that is Labour. They never let the facts get in the way of a good story.”

Ms Doyle-Price added: “Incidentally 900 apprenticeships were offered last year in Thurrock, that is 900 real jobs for young people.”

It is not just youth employment that has increased. Across the ages, the number of jobless has risen with 4.4 per cent of people now claiming job seekers allowance in the Thurrock.