News from Labour Matters

Labour action means no lost generations from this recession

The LGA announces this week that councils are using the Government’s Future Jobs Fund to help up to 40,000 young people into jobs. Over 100 councils across Britain have secured funding to create new jobs including creative apprenticeships in museums, sports coaching, customer service, care assistants, classroom assistants, decorators and joiners. Jobs are being offered with councils and with other local employers.

Responding to the news, Sir Jeremy Beecham, Leader of the LGA Labour Group, said, “the Labour Government has taken concerted action to create new jobs and support people through the worst effects of the recession. These figures show that councils have responded readily to the Future Jobs Fund, using this new resource to create thousands of high quality jobs that offer young people vital prospects for the future.

“The recession has been felt by communities across the country, but the action taken by the Labour Government demonstrates that effective partnership with local authorities can create opportunities for people locally. These moves will ensure that there are no ‘lost generations’ as under previous recessions where rising youth unemployment was left largely unchallenged by the Conservative administration.

“The Conservative Party’s current proposals show that they have not learnt the lessons from their past failures. Their inconsistent economic policies range from cuts to confusion, at a time when the British public need clarity. Far from taking responsibility for local employment opportunities, their recent suggestion that the power to set and distribute benefits be offloaded from national government to local authorities would see the return of the Poor Law with only minimal entitlements.

“The Conservative Party’s approach would threaten the early stages of recovery and throw Britain back into recession and lost jobs.”