Parky works over-time on unemployment

Postscript to my story yesterday about Lord Parkinson's spot that unemployment has been higher at the end of every Labour government than it was when each one came to power.
The former Tory Trade Secretary's statistic got lots of coverage at the time, and at a cabinet meeting shortly after his proclamation, Parkinson tells how he was taken aside by Michael Heseltine (as was).
"Is that stuff about Labour and unemployment really true?" he asked.
"It was at that point that I knew the challenge I had to persuade voters," Parkinson recalls. "I couldn't even convince my own cabinet I was right."

Labour statistics keep on repeating...

I see that unemployment has reached 2.4m - the highest level since 1995.
Plus ca change. Former Tory Trade Secretary, Lord Parkinson, is fond of telling a story of how he once pointed out that every Labour government has left office with unemployment higher than when it arrived. An incredulous reporter asked the then opposition leader, Neil Kinnock, if Parkinson's claim was indeed true.
Kinnock's reply? "Well, statistically speaking."

It's (still) the taking part that counts

As even the pinko press advocates spending cuts and UK unemployment is predicted to peak at 3m next year, the London 2012 gravy train still seems to steam ahead unrestricted.
The Olympic organising committee is currently advertising for a "Finance Business Manager"; a "Head of Risk Assurance"; a "Licensing Executive"; a "Government Relations Executive"; an "SEQ Manager" (eh?); a "Deputy Manager, Venue Press Operations"; a "Manager, Main Press Centre"; a "Revenue Accountant"; a "Payroll Coordinator" and, wait for it, our old favourite, a "Sustainability Partnerships Manager".
Trebles all round!