Unemployment falls below 2m

Figures show the UK unemployment total has fallen below 2m for the first time in almost six years. The number of jobless people fell by 154,000 to 1.97 million in the three months to the end of August, the ONS said. The drop, which is bigger than analysts expected, took the unemployment rate to 6%, its lowest level since late 2008. The employment rate is now 73%, close to its all-time high of 73.2%. Chancellor George Osborne said the fall in unemployment was "evidence that our long-term economic plan is working". Financial Times, Page: 2