From An Englishman’s Castle, a report on the increase in public sector workers makes quite shocking reading.

National Statistics Online

Employment in the public sector rose by 72,000 in the year to September 2005, compared with an increase of 115,000 in the previous year to September 2004.

The largest increases in public sector employment in the year to September 2005 were in health and social work (45,000) and education (25,000). There were also increases in the police service (including civilians) (10,000) and public administration (3,000).

There were decreases in HM Forces (8,000) and construction (7,000).

The Englishman is surprised at the proportion of workers though:

Public sector employment in the United Kingdom as a proportion of total employment was 20.4 per cent in June 2005. This was still below the June 1992 figure of 23.1 per cent but above the low point of 19.2 per cent in June 1999.

Well at least that is a trend in the right direction.   Or is it?

From 1991 to 1998, public sector employment fell every year, with an overall reduction of 816,000 over that period. From 1998 public sector employment rose every year to 5,846,000 in June 2005. This was 680,000 ...   more »