AT a time when budgetary cuts could ravage the county’s police force in years to come after numerous cuts to other sectors, Central Devon MP Mel Stride has praised the ‘tough spending choices’ made by the Government.

Mr Stride has praised Chancellor George Osborne after figures showed employment at its highest ever level and unemployment at a seven year low. He said that spending decisions had kept the faith of global markets and led to the employment boost.

He said: ‘More people are in work than ever before and with 700,000 current job vacancies there are plentiful opportunities for those out of work to secure regular employment. The fact that 75 percent of the new jobs created in the last year are full-time, wages are rising 3 percent faster than inflation and youth unemployment is at its lowest level since 2006 is excellent news. The Government has successfully created an environment in the UK where new businesses can access support when starting up, existing businesses can grow with confidence and through tough spending choices the Government has kept the faith of global markets.’

Employment in the UK now stands at 31.2-million, the highest figure since comparable records began in 1971. Unemployment in the Central Devon constituency has dropped by 16% in the last year to just 377.