Dundee unemployment rate at highest level since 1998

Dundee's unemployment rate is above that of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Unemployment in Dundee has risen to its highest level since 1998 with more than 6,000 people in receipt of job seekers allowance.

Official figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) put the city's unemployment rate at 6.5%.

Politicians have claimed that Dundee now has the highest rate out of Scotland's four biggest cities.

This week official figures showed the Scottish unemployment rate had fallen for the fifth consecutive month.

Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said: "The city's unemployment figures clearly are too high and it is a tragedy for every person who is unemployed.

"The Scottish government and Dundee City Council have brought forward infrastructure projects in Dundee and secured investment to keep the waterfront project moving forward with the V&A and the replacement Olympia, seven new schools and we are funding a record number of apprenticeship places in Dundee."

Councillor Kevin Keenan, Labour group leader on the city council, said the figures highlighted the need for urgent action on jobs.

He said: "So serious is the key issue of employment in the city, that Dundee now has the highest jobless rate of the four traditional Scottish cities.

"It's now up to the national governments to redouble their efforts to boost the local economy and get people back to work in Dundee."