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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n A Labour government in Edinburgh would be a \u201cthreat to Scottish jobs\u201d, the SNP<\/a> has claimed.<\/p>\n The party\u2019s economy spokesman Dave Doogan pointed to increased unemployment since Labour took office at Westminster<\/a> in 2024 as a potential risk to jobs north of the border if Anas Sarwar wins May\u2019s election.<\/p>\n According to figures from the Office for National Statistics<\/a> collated by the House of Commons Library, unemployment rates have increased from 4.2% in the three months before the last general election to 5.1% in the three months to October last year.<\/p>\n During that period, the number of people out of work increased by 352,000, with Mr Doogan pointing to policies such as the employer national insurance contribution rise as the reason behind the \u201ccrisis\u201d.<\/p>\n In the most recent figures, the Scottish unemployment rate sat at 3.8%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024.<\/p>\n Mr Doogan said: \u201cThe UK jobs market has significantly weakened under the Labour Government, and the UK now faces a growing unemployment crisis as a result of damaging Labour Party policies like the national insurance tax hike and the thousands of Scottish jobs Keir Starmer is destroying in Scotland\u2019s energy sector with his tax on Scotland\u2019s energy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe blame for this UK jobs crisis lies squarely with the Labour Government \u2013 and all the evidence suggests it will get worse, not better.<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows the Labour Party is a threat to Scottish jobs, can\u2019t be trusted on the economy, and could undo the success John Swinney\u2019s SNP Government has had in creating jobs and reducing unemployment in Scotland<\/a> to the lowest levels in Britain.<\/p>\n \u201cUnder John Swinney, the SNP Government is creating jobs and strengthening the economy \u2013 but the Labour Party is destroying them and causing chaos.<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows why it\u2019s vital to vote SNP at the Scottish elections in May to sack Keir Starmer, protect Scottish jobs and secure a fresh start with independence.\u201d<\/p>\n A UK Government spokesperson said: \u201cThere are over 350,000 more people in work this year, with the rate of inactivity at its joint lowest in over five years.<\/p>\n \u201cTo address the unemployment challenge this Government inherited, we are investing \u00a31.5 billion to deliver 50,000 apprenticeships and 350,000 new workplace opportunities for young people.<\/p>\n \u201cAlongside this, Alan Milburn\u2019s investigation will help us understand the root causes to youth unemployment.\u201d<\/p>\n