No aid for jobless

While the UK is in the throes of a worldwide economic crisis, politicians continue to vomit out meaningless platitudes about how “we are all in this together” while swearing they are doing their utmost to create employment for new job seekers and the unemployed.

A highly educated, experienced, unemployed professional, I receive £71 per week Job Seekers’ Allowance and attend a daily placement service to search for a job. After much perseverance, I have secured a second-stage interview for a senior position in the south of England. This necessitates travelling by train, which costs £131 for the round trip.

Both the Job Centre and the placement service have refused to fund my travel expenses. I was tempted to take Norman Tebbit’s advice and get on my bike. Alas, I cannot afford one.

I cannot go on asking friends and relatives who have willingly helped me out during my unemployment to continue doing so.

There are many people, qualified or not, genuinely seeking employment and many are in a worse position than I. So, how do we get a job, Great Britain?

John R McDonald PhD

East Claremont Street

Edinburgh