THE latest economic figures show that the Government has got its economic policies right according to Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.

Mr Dunne, who is a conservative MP and junior member of the Government, says that the news that the national economy has grown again is good news for people in Ludlow and south Shropshire.

The UK economy grew by 0.8% in the second quarter of 2014, meaning it is now 0.2% above its peak before the Great Recession. Since the beginning of 2010 the economy has grown by 6.9%, faster than France or Japan and three times as fast as the Eurozone.

“We have reached a major milestone in the Government’s long term economic plan,” said Mr Dunne.

“This Government’s commitment to tackling the deficit and delivering a well-balanced economic recovery is helping businesses in Shropshire to expand and create new jobs.

"I meet businesses across the Ludlow constituency every week and the message from local businesses is loud and clear that they are seeing the benefits of Britain’s economic recovery.

“Solid growth delivered by this Government has now driven our economy past its pre-crisis peak. There is still a long way to go, but I welcome these positive figures that clearly show a brighter economic future for Britain.”

This week the International Monetary Fund have confirmed Britain will be the fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2014 – faster than Japan, Germany or the USA.

In Shropshire, Office for National Statistics figures released this month show the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance across south Shropshire has fallen to 553. The number of claimants is 419 lower than in June 2013, 43% lower than a year ago.

In south Shropshire, youth unemployment has fallen by more than 50% since the General Election, with claimants down from 280 in May 2010 to 125 in June 2014