The future's bright the future's Orange
This one has been around for a while but the unemployment figures still have the ability to shock, in a good way.
Where is the lowest unemployment level? Yes Northern Ireland.
The former, long term, poor relative of the UK economy now has an unemployment rate of just 2.7%. In the North East and North West of England it is well over 5%. Even in London it is 4.8%.
The employment and the economic activity rates in NI are still very low, which means a lot of people are just not bothering to look for work, but even so the unemployment rate is encouraging, to put it mildly.
As the only part of the UK still in the Single Market NI now also has a USP, it can attract foreign investment that wouldn’t bother with most of the UK and has seamless access to both the EU and the UK. It has in the words of the PM “the best of both worlds”.
It is also economically tied to the Irish Republic, which is just about the best performing economy in Europe. What’s not to like?
The DUP on the other hand is so furious with the Windsor Framework and the success of Sinn Fein, that it wants nothing to do with the government in Stormont and has taken its toys home.
The ability of the DUP to cut off its nose to spite its face knows no bounds.
Because the data suggests a concerted effort of joined up government and Northern Ireland would boom.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media