ADAMS & STURDY AND EMPLOYMENT LAW

In 2010 when Nigel Adams and Julian Sturdy were both new MPs they contributed to a debate in the House on 3rd November on employment law. They were both keen to suggest the problem was all the "red tape and bureaucracy" that was preventing businesses growing and creating jobs. This is how Mr Sturdy put it (HERE Col 1015):

"I have a number of businesses in my constituency who have contacted me with similar concerns. They want to grow their businesses and create jobs, which is surely what we want in these difficult times, but if we continue to tie businesses down with red tape and bureaucracy, we will prevent that. It is important to get away from that approach".

At the time (September 2010) employment in the UK was 31,637,000 (HERE) and in Yorkshire and Humberside 2,624,000. Nationally the level of unemployment was 7.7%.  Given that there has been no great reduction in red tape - as far as I'm aware anyway - how have we fared?

Well, not bad actually. Employment is UP by 1,763,000 (February 2017 HERE) while in Yorkshire it is UP by 91,000. Nationally the unemployment rate is DOWN to record levels at 4.7%.  All this while red tape and EU regulations have been "destroying well paid jobs". I think it demonstrates neither man knew what they were talking about.

We shall see what happens to employment and unemployment as we negotiate our way out of the "shackles" of the EU.