Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show total UK public sector employment fell by 103,000 in the first quarter of this year (Q1) compared to the final quarter of 2013 (Q4) that it is at its lowest since 1999 and that local government staffing has fallen by 27,000 while central government has increased by 14,000.
Total public sector employment is 5.4 million and compared to a year ago is 280,000 lower or 4.9% while private sector jobs have increased by a million in the past year. Good news it seems for Mr Osborne.
A closer look at the figures reveals all is not as it seems. The drop in public sector employment in Q1 is largely due to the reclassification of Lloyds Banking Group from the public to the private sector along with the transfer of Royal Mail in Q4 last year. This is turn boosts the headline figure of private sector job growth.
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