Business Views

It has been another difficult week for the UK. Unemployment has risen to 2.46 million with a jobless rate of 7.8%. Gloomy stuff if you are in that queue every fortnight waiting to sign on at the Employment Services Offices. Nonetheless, Jobcentre Plus says there are still job vacancies at any given time.

I'm sure that's right but for many people after working in a well paid job and enjoying a certain standard of living it's difficult to take just any old job. It's not that simple. You need to get your self well prepared for this task of getting that new job.

Yes you might have just had a nice redundancy payout and think that finances are rosy but lets be clear, unless you've win the Euromillions lottery, that money will not last forever. Even the "Magnificent Seven" have only got £6.5 million each!!!! We can only dream .........

And all the reports are saying that this is the longest recession in the UK since records began in the 50's.

And with a General Election just over the horizon, it is hard for anybody who is unemployed to be able to see those green shoots of recovery. And every politician, no matter his or her hue, will tell you that they will help you as long as you put your trust in them and give them your vote when you visit the ballot box.

I'm not here to impose my political opinions on you so just listen to what they say and make your own mind up. Over the next few months I'm sure we'll see lots of pontificating and posing as the whole thing hots up and the Election Day gets close.

We'll get an idea of what's ahead later this week when the last Queens Speech before the election is given this week. What will the Labour Party want to deliver, and what will the opponents say in return?

I can give you some idea as to what's in there. You can look forward to measures against bankers' and their bonuses, consumers being able to take class action suits against rip off banks and credit card companies will be banned from allowing customers to borrow more money than they can afford.

But when you watch it and read all about it, you can be sure that you'll still not be sure which way to vote.

The only thing you will be sure to say is that MP's will still be complaining about their expenses and how they are going to be managed. Even the Speaker, who came to his role, promising reform, appears to have caught the bug with his house expenditure.

Is there anything worth having a bet on at the moment? I think a good double would be George Burley, Scotland football Manager and Gordon Brown, Prime Minister both to lose their jobs in 2010. Oh dear, what was happening with Scotland yesterday? Abysmal beyond belief. Even Jedward would do a better job!!!

(c) Iain Williamson 15 November 2009