Almost 40,000 jobs were lost in the West Midlands during the coalition government’s first year in power, it emerged today – prompting calls for the Prime Minister to visit and discuss the region’s economy.

Black Country MP Ian Austin has obtained figures that show 26,100 public sector workers lost their jobs along with 13,500 in the private sector. It comes despite pledges by Chancellor George Osborne that private sector job creation would “far outweigh” cuts in taxpayer-funded jobs.

Mr Austin wants David Cameron to meet him in the Black Country after receiving figures from the Office for National Statistics.

He revealed that employment in the public sector in the south east of England actually went up, while in Scotland and Wales it increased and private sector employment fell, despite the cuts.

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