A DISGRUNTLED crowd of people will gather outside Worcester’s Guildhall this weekend to protest against unemployment.

The peaceful protest is due to take place at noon on Saturday. The aim, according to organisers from the Worcester Socialist Party, is to rally against unemployment and demonstrate how frustrated its members are with the solutions from the main political parties.

Party member Alex Cosh said: “We are taking action based on the mood from ordinary working people who, for the most part, have despaired or become indifferent about the mainstream parties. The suggestion of a protest and real action among ordinary people has been welcomed and supported by nearly every person we speak to.”

Unemployment figures released yesterday showed people are finding work. In Worcester there were 2,626 people claiming the unemployment benefit Job Seeker’s Allow-ance in September. The figure was down from 2,714 the previous month.

Of these, 780 were aged between 18 and 24 years old.

In Wychavon the unemployment figure was 2,291, compared with 2,301 in Aug-ust, and in Malvern Hills there were 1,111 people without a job. There were 625 young people aged 16-24 out of work in Wychavon and 385 in Malvern Hills.

Last month’s figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that the number of people claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance in Worcestershire was more than 13,000. Nationally unemployment is at a 14-year high of 2.47 million.

Youth unemployment rea-ched 947,000 in the three months before July and is spiralling towards the one million mark. The Government has promised jobs and training to 18 to 24 year olds who have been out of work for more than a year, but the Youth Fight for Jobs action group says this does not go far enough.

Mr Cosh, part of the Worcester Youth Fight for Jobs movement, claimed many people have the same opinion. He said: “Youth unemployment in Worcester has already shown its signs.

“We can already see that charities such as the Prince’s Trust need an estimated £1 million each week to sustain their call centres.

“And what have we received as a solution? Locally we have been offered nothing more than a young enterprise scheme.”

For details about the protest go to socialistparty.org.uk.