British jobless rate augurs censure of Conservatives

July 24, 1980

Britain's worst unemployment since the Great Depression of the 1930s provoked a furious argument in the House of Commons Tuesday, and Opposition Labour Party leader James Callaghan said he would bring up a motion of no confidence in the government. The figures showed 1,896,634 people out of work -- 7.8 percent of the work force.

While this will probably be debated Monday, the government would not be defeated, since Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher commands a comfortable majority of 43.