by business editor Trevor Sturgess

A massive 1,900 leap in unemployment across the county has dashed Government hopes that the private sector is creating the jobs lost elsewhere.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of people out of work and claiming jobseekers allowance jumped to 33,094, a rise of 1,901.

The Medway jobless total went up by 335 to 6,508 (3.9 per cent of the workforce), while the rest of Kent posted a massive rise of 1,566 to stand at 26,586 (three per cent).

All the county's 12 districts posted a steep rise, with all except two posting three-digit increases. Only Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells kept the increase to single figures.

Thanet was the worst hit, with 210 new people joining the dole queue, closely followed by Canterbury (up 192), Dartford (up 173), Gravesham (up 166) and Maidstone (up 152).

The latest increase comes on top of a 450 rise the previous month, adding up to a two-month leap of 2,351.

The gloomy news comes just days after Pfizer announced the closure of its Sandwich facilities over the next 18 to 24 months with the possible loss of up to 2,400 people, as well as hundreds of indirect jobs.

With local councils across the county slashing headcount, the jobless figures are likely to get a lot worse before they get better.

Nationally, the claimant count edged up by 2,400 to 1.46 million. The rate for the three months to the end of December rose by 44,000 to 2.49 million (7.9 per cent).

Worryingly, unemployment among 16 to 24 year olds rose by 66,000 to 965,000 (20.5 per cent), the highest since records began in 1992.

Graeme Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said higher unemployment and lower numbers in work made it a "feel-bad" recovery.

The latest figures showed there was no need for a rise in interest rates.

Claimant count on January 13: Kent and Medway, 33,094 (up 1,901); Medway, 6,508 (up 335); Rest of Kent, 26,586 (up 1,566); Ashford, 1,903 (up 121); Canterbury, 2,173 (up 192); Dartford, 1,921 (up 173); Dover, 2,275 (up 125); Gravesham, 2,416 (up 166); Maidstone, 2,265 (up 152); Sevenoaks, 1,234 (up 58); Shepway, 2,562 (up 100); Swale, 3,138 (up 113); Thanet, 4,284 (up 210); Tonbridge and Malling, 1,352 (up 116); Tunbridge Wells, 1,063 (up 40).