The most recent data from the Annual Population Survey revealed that close to half (42.2 percent) of black people are employed in the public sector, filling posts within public administration, education and health.  This figure compares with under a third, (29.5 percent) of British white people employed within this sector.

Figures from the National Audit Office also show that there is also a stark difference in ethnic minority employment generally with the employment gap is just 1.3% smaller than it was 20 years ago.  This report acknowledged that discrimination plays a major part in employment rates among minorities as well as the lack of help available to black workers trying to find employment.

 PM David Cameron  has confirmed  the country will face the deepest public spending cuts in decades,  welfare provision and public sector pay at top targets for belt tightening measures,

In his first major speech since becoming prime minister, Cameron admitted: ‘the overall scale of the problem is even worse than we thought.'

‘Now we have looked at the figures. Based on the calculations of the last government, in five years' time the interest we are paying on our debt is predicted to be around £70 billion. That is a simply staggering amount. Higher interest rates hurt every family and every business in the land.' 

Government assurances to protect the poor

Community commentators point out that this is in marked contrast to comments made by deputy PM Nick Clegg  in the Observer over  the weekend, where he said that there would be no return to the harshness of spending restraints of the former Tory era of high unemployment and social unrest.

‘No one wants to see people from any ethnic background joining the dole queue but where cuts are made they must be fair, transparent and comply with equalities law.

A deep concern for the black community is even before the onset of the economic downturn they already had the highest levels of unemployment at nearly 20%. We call on public sector chiefs and the equalities watchdog to ensure that the impact of job cuts is not unfairly placed on black workers,' Jeremy Crook OBE, Director of BTEG, a national agency set up to help improve employment rates in the black community, said

In a season where the treasury are preparing for a round of £6.2 billion cuts there are also serious concerns that that cuts to local services will hit  children, the elderly, mental health service user and other disabled groups hardest.

Measures needed to protect the poor
Observers note that these austerity measures come at a time when Britain now has one of the most affluent Cabinets in living memory.
The prime minister is among many in the cabinet attended the country's most exclusive schools  and the majority of the cabinet are former  Russell College alumni.  

Although there have been reassurances that measures will be put in place to protect the poor, it is by no means clear how the Government will do this. Experts warn about the need to for the Government to usher in this new eara  of austerity measures with great caution as the cabinet making these difficult by necessary decision are for the most part millionaires and multimillionaires cushioned by inheritances or large amounts of earned wealth.