WORK and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith is up to his old tricks again manipulating the unemployment figures.

He claims people are “better off ” under his tough welfare reforms.

Has he conveniently forgotten about all those workers unlucky enough to be on zero hour contracts waiting patiently by the phone for a few hours work?

Or the tens of thousands of sick and disabled suffering the worst Tory onslaught in living history?

Or the sanctions he’s just dished out on vulnerable lone parents in receipt of income support.

He brags there are more people in work than ever before,but fails to mention most of these jobs are workfor- your-dole schemes.

The latest currency for a full week’s work I hear is shirt buttons and bottle tops.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar.