The reality of Britain's faltering economic recovery really has
hit home since beginning of the year. Unemployment has reached 2.7
million - a seventeen year high and GDP figures released last week
revealed that the economy has now gone into reverse. Meanwhile
people and families up and down the country continue to face
extraordinary pressure. In Parliament, I have called on the
government to act to ease the difficulties so many are facing but
instead of helping those in need, the Prime Minister and the
Chancellor are refusing to change course and continue to make
excuses for their economic misjudgements which have made our
economic woes much worse.
The impact the government's economic policy on people's lives is
incredibly worrying particularly where women are concerned. Women's
unemployment is continuing to rise and recently hit its highest
levels since the late 1980s.
Many women are finding themselves stuck at home with little hope
of finding a job.
Changes to direct tax, benefits, pay and pensions announced by
the Chancellor since the general election is evidence too that this
government's policies are hurting women more than men, in fact
research by the House of Commons library, shows that women are
being hit twice as hard. And women with children are feeling
even more pressure as they cope with to tax credits and nursery
places.
At the same time we watch in disbelief as bank bosses award
themselves bumper bonuses, paying themselves in one day more than
someone on average earnings earns in their entire lifetime!
It is no surprise then when women tell me that they think David
Cameron's government is out of touch with their lives.
After eighteen months in power, the government has a record of
shame when it comes to the impact of their policies on women.
In Parliament, I have called on the government to stop burying
their head in and do something about it. For a start, they could
adopt Labour's five point plan for jobs and growth that would give
women more hope.
I've also called on the Chancellor to appear in front of the
Commons to be questioned on the government's appalling record. I
get the feeling however that he is running scared of facing
Labour's women MPs who are keen to let him know just how wrong he
is getting it.
