Real unemployment" rises

The Financial Times in an article on Feb.7th. indicates thet the government is concerned about the rising trend of "real" unemployment, It draws tho distinction | between the actual figure of unemployed, no doubt. ffected by the exceptionally harsh winter, and the real figuro which to some extent hidden by the seasonal factors. "In January" the article asserts, "the number unemployed rose by 250,000 to over 814,000 — and the Govermment appears to calculate that this includes a rise in "basic" unemployment of 20,000," Although an improvement is expected in the March figures, the Government is mainly concorned about the rising basic trend." The Government is, of course, also concerned about the "psychological" effect, in other words the effect of the high rate of unemployment on its cliection chances. Mr, Maudling's first Budget is expected to provice a general stimulus, as oppposod to the “special measures" being taken in the " tinck areas of unemployment, which so far have mainly consisted of lightning tours of tho Northeast by Lord Hailcham in a cloth cap, This "clown prince" of the Tory party haa not improved sinco’ his bell ringing days.But even such measures as building Russian ships, tankers for the Admiralty, and extensive public. works, will not preduce. any immediato effoct. "The present economic difficulties - to which Ministers see.no quick solution — "the articla continues" make it oven more cloar that there is-now only a =" remote possibility of a Mey general oelection...ae already reported in- the Financial Times, the possibility of a May general election seemed earlier to hinge on the Government cbtaining terme for entry to the Common Merket,"