The British Government's election prospects were given a boost yesterday when the number of people claiming unemployment benefit dipped below the one million mark for the first time in more than 25 years.
The Prime Minister, Mr Blair, said the dream of a return to full employment in Britain was now "within our grasp" as official figures were revealed showing that the claimant unemployment number fell by 10,600 last month to 996,200 - the lowest recorded figure since 1975.
The good news for Labour was accompanied by record employment figures, which revealed that since the party came to power in 1997 the number of people in work increased by nearly 1.2 million to 28 million.
But as Mr Blair launched the next phase of employment proposals under the New Deal, he said that too many people were still unemployed and the Education and Employment Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, said there was still "overwhelming" evidence that children raised in homes where there was no expectation of employment did not achieve success in the employment market.
Under the government's "innovative and practical" employment policies the under25s, lone parents and people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed will be given extra help to find work. The plans include tough sanctions for those who refuse to work, including the possibility that they will lose benefits for up to six months if they refuse to take part in training or job-related schemes.
Up to £120 million will be spent over the next three years to tackle unemployment in the worst-affected areas of Britain and another £200 million will be spent on training schemes for the long-term unemployed.
The government meanwhile faced increased pressure from backbenchers, the Liberal Democrats and major landowners to delay holding the next general election, which is expected to be on May 3rd, because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The Labour MP, Mr Russell Brown, whose Dumfries constituency has been badly hit by the disease outbreak, said the government should consider delaying the election. "I would be really anxious if we were running into April and not at the peak of this thing," he told BBC news. "I would be looking to have some kind of delay."
The Liberal Democrat MP, Mr David Heath, said there was a "strong argument" for a short delay in calling a general election and the local elections on May 3rd, possibly until June. His call came as the Duke of Devonshire, a major landowner in Derbyshire, and the Bishop of Hereford, the Right Rev John Oliver, said it would not be fitting to hold a general election during a time of national emergency. "It would be better and kinder and more just to postpone the election at this stage," the bishop said.
Earlier, Mr Blair defended the embattled Europe Minister, Mr Keith Vaz, against Tory accusations that the minister's dealings with the Parliamentary Standards and Privileges Committee was a "tale of obstruction and lack of candour".
During question time in the Commons, the Tory leader, Mr William Hague, said Mr Vaz, had declined to provide "full and accurate answers" to the committee in its investigation of allegations that he failed to declare payments from business leaders in return for help with planning applications. However, Mr Blair hit back saying Mr Vaz had been cleared of all charges except one, for which the committee had recommended no sanction.
Unemployment in Northern Ireland has fallen to 5.9 per cent for the period November 2000-Janurary 2001, making it the second-lowest total since current records were introduced in 1984.