Surprise jump in unemployment
ARRESTED SUSPECTS FREE TO GO AS PROBE
THERE has been a surprise rise in the North East’s unemployment rate, despite a number of surveys pointing to an improving economic picture in the region.
Figures published yesterday showed the region’s unemployment rate at 5.9%, a significant rise on the 5.4% recorded a month ago. The region is one of only three areas in the UK to have seen rising rates of joblessness in the last month.
The data also shows that South Tyneside has the highest rate of unemployment in the country, at 8.2%, with Hartlepool and Middlesbrough also in the top five.
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits fell slightly to 112,120, though this figure is still substantially higher than numbers seen before the pandemic.
The rise in unemployment in the North East for February to April will come as a surprise after the easing of lockdown, with a number of economic surveys pointing to increasing confidence and recruitment intentions among North East firms.
Niamh Corcoran of the North East England Chamber of Commerce said: “While the figures should be cause for (cautious) optimism, we are not out of the woods yet. The extension of restrictions and the unwinding of the Job Retention Scheme could pose a threat to this recovery and cause a spike in redundancies later in the year.
“In addition, there are still deep-set issues in the labour market which Government needs to focus on to sustain this recovery.
“The national figures show that the numbers of people in long-term unemployment has reached the highest levels in five years. Government needs to do more to prevent people falling into long-term unemployment and support unemployed workers into good jobs in growing sectors or into upskilling and reskilling programmes if needed.”
Richard Baker, strategy and policy director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “About 4,500 workers experienced redundancy in the latest quarter, bringing the total to 29,000 in the latest 12 months.”
He added that 48,000 self-employed workers in the region had claimed support in the first few weeks of the latest round of the support scheme for them.
He went on: “At the end of April more than 115,000 workers in the region were still furloughed and, although classified as employed, many were in an uncertain position about their futures. Over a quarter of these work in food and accommodation services.”
WHO was behind a terrifying Sunday morning shooting today remains a mystery after all the suspects were released without charge.
Five people were arrested following a report that two men had been threatened and a firearm used, in an incident near Walkergate Metro station, in Newcastle, in February.
Two men, aged 48 and 33, and a 31-year-old woman were questioned on suspicion of possessing a firearm with the intent to endanger life, while a 46-year-old man and 39-year-old woman were held on suspicion of assisting an offender.
All were released under investigation after questioning.
But the Chronicle can today reveal that all the suspects have now been told they will face no further police action.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “All those arrested have now been released with no further action.”
The incident is said to have happened at around 8am on Sunday, February 28.
Police said the alleged victims were approached by two men who got out of a vehicle, before a verbal row broke out.
Then one of the men in the vehicle removed a firearm and discharged it near to the victims.
Nobody was injured and the two men then got back into the vehicle and left the scene.
Following the incident a car park on Shields Road was cordoned off with police tape for more than 24 hours.
And officers were still working at the scene days later, with specialist search teams in white overalls scouring the area for evidence.
Hasan Tahir, who runs the Best One shop opposite the scene, told the Chronicle of his shock.
The 33-year-old said at the time: “I never saw anything but we have heard there’s been a gun.
“Everyone was asking us this morning what was going on. It is worrying that there’s been guns that close by.
“The last thing you want is guns flying about.”