Jobs revolution ‘has made us the envy of Europe’

BRITAIN is being turned into ‘a great working nation’, Esther McVey will tell conference.

The Work and Pensions Secretary will declare that a ‘jobs revolution’ has made the UK the envy of Europe.

In her speech on Monday she will trumpet figures showing more jobs have been created in the past eight years under the Tories than during Labour’s 13 years in power.

‘We are transforming the country into a great working nation, prepared for our postBrexit future,’ she will say.

‘Labour left government in 2010 with the number of households where no one had ever worked almost doubling.

‘In stark contrast, since 2010 we have added on average 1,000 more jobs each and every day – and despite what the Labour Party say, the vast majority of these are full-time permanent roles.

‘More jobs have been created in the UK since 2010 than in France, Spain, Ireland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Norway combined.

‘Youth unemployment has plummeted by almost 50 per cent. Youth unemployment is almost three times higher in Spain and Italy, making us the envy of Europe.’

Miss McVey will argue ‘these are more than just numbers’ because of the importance of holding a job.

She will tell conference that getting people into work provides financial security for families, ‘helping people take control of their lives’.

Miss McVey will look back at projects she launched as employment minister during her first spell in government.

And she will highlight success stories including a former professional wrestler from Merseyside who found work thanks to a bus driver training scheme started in 2013 and a young man from Edinburgh who had struggled with depression who got a job as part of a project she began in 2014.

Miss McVey will also discuss how the Government has removed red tape thanks to the rollout of Universal Credit.

She will say: ‘We have eradicated the bureaucracy which meant people had to apply to three organisations for welfare: HMRC for tax credits, local authorities for housing benefit and DWP for unemployment benefits and disability payments.’

The former television presenter started her ministerial career at the Department for Work and Pensions in 2012, but was the most high-profile Tory casualty of the 2015 general election when she was ousted following a unionbacked campaign.

She returned to the Cabinet earlier this year following an unlikely comeback in last year’s general election, wining Tatton in Cheshire.