Brown promised he would help me get a job…I’m still waiting

Struggling Steve Mattocks, a skilled technology worker, spoke to the Prime Minister in a BBC radio phone-in during which he asked Mr Brown for advice.

The Prime Minister listened to how he was made redundant twice last year before telling him that he wanted to help him get back into work.

And during the brief talk Mr Brown pledged to help him find another job. But four weeks later and after some 300 job applications, Mr Mattocks, 37, said he felt let down by Mr Brown’s lack of help, despite his public remarks.

He said: “I think the PM promised far too much to me when I spoke to him.

“If you have got him on your side trying to help you find work and you’re still not getting anywhere what hope does anyone else have? Most people haven’t got his direct help so obviously they are going to be even further back than I am.

“In fairness he did say he would get someone to call me and he did do that, when Minister for Digital Engagement Tom Watson phoned.

“He was obviously given a message to call but he has just passed my details onto an agency, I could have done that myself. I had a chat with him about what was going on with work and what I was hoping for and he asked me to send my CV over to him.

“I was hoping for a bit of advice or to be pointed in the right direction, but nothing like that has happened. Given the massive amount of contacts he must have, some feedback would have been good. To get nothing is disappointing.”

Mr Mattocks said he felt disillusioned, adding: “At the moment I am not even sure who I would vote for if it came to it – it doesn’t seem like any of the parties can offer me a solution.”

Mr Mattocks, from Cannock in Staffordshire, was first made redundant in July last year from his job in the auto ID industry. He lost his second job in October.

With his wife Amanda, 35, and their six children Jessica, 15, Kurtis, 12, Bethany, nine, Nathaniel, five, Dylan, three, and Harlee, one, relying on him, he hoped he’d get another job quickly.

When the PM offered his help, he thought his prayers were answered. Mr Brown’s promise was made in early January during his visit to a Birmingham radio station. He took calls from West Midlands listeners, including Mr Mattocks.

Mr Brown told him: “The first thing, Steve, is that I want to help you get back into work. We want to help you benefit from what vacancies are available and I know you’re hard working and you try the best so let’s see if we can help you. Let’s look and I’ll get someone to give you a ring afterwards.”

But despite 20 years of skills in engineering, repair and management Mr Mattocks remains jobless – with mounting financial difficulties. He said: “I was surprised when the PM told me he would get someone to call me and how he wanted to help me get back into work.

“When I signed on the week after, when the form asked what I had been doing to find work I said Gordon Brown said he was going to help me. I felt like I had the highest help you could get from the Prime Minister. Now I think he promised too much.”