On my way to work this morning, among the carrion on the A64, I was greeted with the sombre news that despite Big Dave’s best efforts, long term unemployment has doubled over the past year.

There is a very worrying surge in youth unemployment and there is the largest number of women out of work for 23 years.

Of those made redundant in the public sector, the majority were women. Do women appear to be suffering the most?

We were all promised to by Big Dave that the reductions in the public sector would allow us to cut the widening deficit, allowing private sector firms to step up and create new jobs to make up the loss. But that hasn’t happened has it? In fact, many private businesses, especially SMEs on Britain’s high streets and business parks, are struggling more than ever. Almost three times as many jobs are being lost as created.

If you happen to have been living on a rock for the last six months, and are due to return to glorious England anytime soon, like my friend Hayley who’s been living in a ditch in Sri Lanka since January, don’t get your hopes up about the fabled ‘recovery’.

Although unemployment is slightly lower than it was six months ago (8,000), the latest figure is 2.510 million, which compares with 2.518 million in the three months to January.

So, there are 41,000 more people out of work than there were two years ago, in the middle of the recession. Sad face.

That’s worrying. But I suppose we have to side with Yazz on this one. The Only Way is Up.

Shout out to Stephen Timms at The Huffington Post (@stephenctimms) for his facts and figures today.