INVERCLYDE has suffered a double jobs blow — with an increase in unemployment figures in just one month.

Latest UK Government statistics for the long-term unemployed reveal that 267 more local people are out of work since December.

Youth unemployment is also on the rise — with an additional 90 youngsters aged 18-24 without a job.

It takes the area’s long-term jobless total to just under 1,700.

Labour MP Iain McKenzie, pictured, has turned on the Tory-led UK Government for the increase and says they are ‘continuing to let Inverclyde down’.

He said: “Here in Inverclyde long-term unemployment is still unacceptably high with 1,695 people out of work, which is 267 higher than in December 2014.

“Youth unemployment has also shot up over the last month, with 90 more people aged 18-24 now unemployed.

“We need action to get local people into work.

“This is why Labour is calling for a compulsory jobs guarantee which will get any adult out of work for more than two years, or young person out of work for a year, into a job.” Mr McKenzie praised Inverclyde’s Council for its attempts to create work for youngsters — but he says more action is needed at Westminster level.

He said: “Luckily we have a Labour-led council who have maintained the previous Labour government’s Future Jobs Fund strategy, which has focused on what really matters; providing good, skilled employment.

“This has thankfully kept unemployment here at a lower level than most of Scotland, including major cities.

“Sadly we have been let down by the Tory-led government in Westminster, obsessed with austerity for those on middle to low incomes, but also a Scottish Government who have been obsessed with independence at the cost of everything else.

“Inverclyde can’t wait any longer for the kind of progressive steps Labour would take to make our society fairer, and get more people into work.”