HUDDERSFIELD MP Barry Sheerman has called for action to reverse a “shocking” rise in the town’s jobless tally.

He wants a summit meeting of employers, council leaders and other key players to devise a new employment strategy to get local people back into work.

The latest unemployment figures show the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in Mr Sheerman’s constituency last month stood at 3,826 or 9.2% of the working age population.

That is 104 higher than a month ago and 455 up on August last year. It also puts Huddersfield 79th highest for unemployment among 650 UK constituencies.

Neighbouring constituencies also saw the claimant count rise – with the Colne Valley total up by 52 at 2,632 and the Dewsbury tally 83 higher at 2,742.

Mr Sheerman said: “I am very worried about this. This is the highest figure for Huddersfield that I can remember for a long time. Historically, Huddersfield has had a tradition of low unemployment.

“I am going to call a meeting of the major employers, small and medium-sized employers, Huddersfield University and Kirklees College and ask the leader of Kirklees Council to discuss the situation.

“We must tackle this. Last week, I accused the government of having no strategy for the manufacturing sector. I want to make sure that here in Huddersfield we have a strategy for reducing unemployment.”

His comments came as figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the UK jobless total surged to a two-year high – triggered by a big rise in youth unemployment.

The country’s jobless rate rose by 80,000 to stand at 2.51m or 7.9% between May and July, according to official figures.

It was the largest quarterly increase in unemployment since the three months to August, 2009, while economists had expected a rise of about 70,000.

The number of unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds surged by 77,000 to 769,000, said the Office for National Statistics.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance increased by 20,300 to 1.58m in August, the highest level of claimants since January, 2010.

The figures were released as a report from think-tank IPPR warned the UK faces a “long and difficult” path back to full employment – with up to 2m jobs needed to be created to return to pre-recession levels.