Yes, work is the curse of the drinking classes

Men who believe that work is the curse of the drinking classes may have got it right after all. The irredeemably sober Policy Studies Institute has discovered that when males with "attitude" and a big thirst for alcohol lose their jobs they have a better chance of finding new employment than bosses' pets who drink in moderation.

In its report, "Long-term Unemployment", the institute ventures that big drinkers often collect pub cronies who can become useful contacts when they need to start job-hunting.

Analysis of figures prepared for the Department of Education and Employment also revealed that men with a "favourable attitude to work" were at greater risk of redundancy than those with a more negative approach.

Co-author of the report, Joan Payne, believes the awkward squad which spends most time in the pub might be more out-going and self-confident and therefore more employable despite their penchant for alcohol.

Less encouraging for the macho pub-goer, however, is the finding that men tend to fall apart after divorce or separation. Drawing on data from two national surveys, the National Child Development Study and the Retirement Study, it was found that an unemployed man who broke up with his wife or partner was less likely to find work, while the chances for a woman in a similar position were greatly enhanced.

For men, there was evidence of a vicious circle: unemployment increases the risk of divorce, but divorce prolongs unemployment, the study says.