Today’s unemployment figures aren’t just a reminder of the mess the government has made of the jobs market with its national insurance hikes. They also underline the futility of the government more generally. It has moved into survival mode and cannot pursue the welfare reforms that are clearly necessary. As Ben Miller sets out here, there are more factors than just the NI increase at play here, with weak growth and the rise of AI hitting young people being just two. A healthy government would be able to respond to the challenges for employers and those out of work. One stuck in survival mode cannot.

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Nigel Farage unveils his shadow cabinet

Keir Starmer has long lost the trust of his backbenchers to be able to carry out any kind of meaningful welfare........

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