The Mirror reports:
Coalition cuts could throw 1.6 million people out of work - almost double previous forecasts.
The public sector will lose 725,000 jobs instead of the Government's 490,000 guess, experts warned yesterday.
And shops and firms are set to shed 850,000, with 200,000 alone coming when VAT rises to 20% in January. The previous highest forecast for private sector losses was 500,000.
John Philpott, chief economist at The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development which gave the grim message, insisted: "The full impact of Coalition fiscal tightening has been understated."
This is not news to readers of this blog. I predicted this level of unemployment here and here.
And I think this outcome inevitable.
I do not know how Mr Philpott kept his cool at the Select Committee. The idiotic questioning of Michael Fallon was unbelievable and topped by calling John Philpott, less use than a dead octopus!
However, John Philpott continued to be completely calm and pleasant in response. It was a master class in how to deal with a public bullying.