CSR: Derek Simpson says "It's a massacre".

Public sector to lose half a million jobs

Chancellor George Osborne confirmed that almost 500,000 public-sector jobs are set to be axed as a result of the spending review yesterday, condemning Britain to "unnecessary wholesale unemployment."

Millionaire Osborne confirmed the Office for Budget Responsibility had estimated 490,000 jobs could go over the four years covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Unison described the cuts as "ideologically driven" and accused the government of failing to consider that there was a fairer alternative.

The union said the 500,000 public-sector job cuts will prove a "false economy" and will cost the private sector a further 425,000 jobs.

Unite joint general secretary Derek Simpson said: "This is not a spending review - it's a massacre. It's totally perverse to claim that cutting half a million jobs and razing our public services to the ground is good for this country.

"No matter how often they repeat that their actions are fair, this government is making a political choice to attack the public sector and by doing this now damaging the whole of the economy long into the future."