If you include all the people who are not included in the unemplyment role now who would of been in the 80s I think we are on a par if not higher.

Massive increase in people on invalidity and 100s of thousands of young people on schemes or at college who in the 80s would of been classed as unemployed.Add to this the large number of people working part time and still claiming benefits and you can see why I think we are living in a country that is in a lot worse situation than stats show when comparing now with the past.

Leigh is a prime example the dole numbers have probably not changed much but how many factories have closed in the last 10 years.

there is no such thing as invalidity benefit

Not as many as closed in the 80's and 90's
David Browns, BICC drastically reduced in size, three pits, two factories, LUT, the carbon place in Guest Street, The Cycle maufacturer, all major employers replaced by? not one large employer. The amount of places of employment may have increased but relatively speaking the numbers have not as they were small chsnged compared to the list as above.
The size of the town has also virtually doubled since the lat 70's early 80's.
No government local or national has assisted this town they have all been a waste of time.

not forgetting U C P cafe

Fred I was responding to your quote that jobless figures are not as high as the 80s,I agree with all you say above and could of quoted all those firms.

What I tried to say is I don't think their are more "real" jobs now which pay for a full weeks work and don't need govt subsidies than the 80s or 90s.

Re the town doubling I would say the people working out of Leigh but living here has quadrupled.

Excuse me for being pedantic but...

The HMRC course I was on last week disagrees with you. Anyone that was claiming invalidity benefit back in the day, still claims invalidity benefit.. However, there have been 2 new guises since.

You'd have my vote Mo

problem being twitch is that if your working part-time (above a certain no of hours) your classified as being in work, the rules have changed a few times since the 80's and yes always to manipulate figures every government has and will still do it its a farce.

EU is a communist organisation....... it makes the rich countrys poorer, and the poor countrys rich (level playing feild)..... It drains wealth from our country and spreads it across the rest of Europe.......... Thats why I want out!

We are turning into the third world, no manufacturing, hardly no farming, no gold because Gordon Brown sold it off when it was at its lowest value, causing terrorism by going to an ILLEGAL WAR for American oil companies, we are getting COLONILIZED, politicians are robbing us left right and centre, heroin epidemic............

You need a lift to the airport?

Wouldnt wipe my ar$e with em mate, not bought a paper for 20 years - RL Express excluded.

Have also never voted Tory, after what they did to my town.

There is a big gap for a party with common sense and the balls to carry it through, thats why people are moving to BNP, DESPERATION!!! Now anyone moving to a party led by that fool must be DESPERATE, but they do know how to play on peoples fears and offer simple solutions/alternatives (or what people believe are solutions)

We employ 2000 people, sometimes you wonder if the government actually want you in business employing these people. Take the LSV mentality and put it into parliament, hey presto - welcome to the UK 2010.
A government run by administrators for administrators.

A bit of the old irrigation would solve your problem.........a brain transplant would help as well.

Maurice I agree we need a common sense Government and thats why more people are turning to the BNP........ I have more faith in them that any of the other parties..........

Common sense allways prevails in my eyes.......

We are being colonilized........ Have you ever been to Bolton our Blackburn, or Bradford???? Its not England anymore, they're the third world, with third world cultures, third world religions, third world language.............

I am more interested in these Westleigh race riots. Can you direct me towards a story please? Also, any chance to a list of the demographic statistics you have to back up your claims re Bolton, Blackburn and Bradford.
By the way, that offer of a lift to the airport still stands though I must warn you, my car is black.