A New Report Says That Our Area has Been Hardest Hit By The Recession

There are so many examples in North Durham of how we have been particularly badly hit by the recession created in Downing Street. I have spoken to many, many people who are out of work and not getting anywhere near enough help from this Government to get back to work. Indeed, unemployment is up by around 70% in the past year. The effect of the recession is painfully obvious on the streets of Chester-le-Street and Stanley. The number of shops that have closed on Chester-le-Street's high street in the last year alone is devastating.

Now we know that this recession is the longest since records began. A number of reports have shown that our area has been hit hardest by the recession - coming on top of the fact that since 1997, our area has trailed other regions using almost every economic metric. A report released today confirmed what many of us have feared - that the Chester-le-Street area is amongst the hardest hit in the country by the recession. Indeed, the report from Experian suggests that Chester-le-Street will suffer the most from the recession.

I have said so many times before that this Government is not doing anywhere near enough to deal with the recession. Local Labour politicians seem completely devoid of answers or solutions. Local people are rightly demanding action. All they are getting from the Labour party is hot air.

We need urgent action to create jobs; help people to find work; help business to recover; and provide apprenticeship and training places. It is time for the Labour Party, which has taken us for granted for too long and left our area exposed to the worst of the recession, to step aside and make way for people such as me who believe in our area and want to take urgent action to help create jobs. It is time for the Labour Party, which has let our area down for too long, make way for people like me who believe in our region, are prepared to stand up for our region and have a vision for a glorious economic future for our region.