Economic recovery, bringing hope to the jobless, is looking "ever more distant" according to the TUC.

On Friday the Office for National Statistics announced economic output had shrunk by 5.6% in the 12 months prior to mid-2009 and gross domestic product (GDP) had contracted by 0.8% in the second quarter of this year.

Commenting on the findings, Brendan Barber [pictured] general secretary of the TUC, said: "There are no green shoots here. Unemployment is growing and a recovery that brings hope to the jobless looks ever more distant.

"Immediate big spending cuts are the last thing we need. They could tip the economy into an ever-deeper downturn and make the deficit worse when the tax take falls and spending on unemployment goes up."

He added: "With consumers and companies failing to spend, the public sector must fill the gap."