Scotland’s jobless total falls to nine-year low
0 Kenny Macaskill: Indyref2 battle mode was a mistake new SNP members after the 2014 vote, Mr Macaskill said: “Rather than damping down expectations, the party leadership played to the gallery. A new SNP was taking off and things could only get better. For sure, huge crowds gath- ered to hear the gospel but it was preaching to the converted. Meanwhile the work to prepare arguments on currency or pensions remained invisible...
“The continual battle mode for indyref2 has been a strategic mistake. The First Minister was right to put the issue back on the table after the Brexit vote but wrong to push for an early vote when neither the mood was there nor the groundwork laid. ”
He added: “The party now needs to realise that it’s not will-power or passion that’s needed, but a credible platform both for government and independence.” Scotland’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since the recession.
It is down to 4 per cent. the lowest since 2008, after unemployment fell by 17,000 in the period from February to April.
Official figures also show the jobless total now stands at 109,000, down by 49,000 over the year.
Meanwhile, employment increased by 14,000 in the three-month period and now stands at 2,624,000, up by 44,000 over the year.
The Scottish employment rate rose in the quarter to 74.1 per cent but remains below the UK average of 74.8 per cent. And, at 4 per cent, the unemployment rate north of the Border is below the UK average of 4.6 per cent.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “Scotland’s labour market continues to improve and I am pleased that the unemployment rate has fallen to the lowest rate on record.”
But he added: “A number of significant challenges remain and I want to see Scotland’s economic performance catching up with the rest of the UK.”