AN AGREEMENT by European Union governments to introduce an EU-wide ‘youth guarantee’ has given Britain’s ‘lost’ young people a glimmer of hope, a Euro MP has claimed.
Glenis Willmott, who represents the East Midlands, including Swadlincote, in Brussels for Labour, spoke after the states committed themselves to ensuring all young people under 25 receive quality employment, education or an apprenticeship or traineeship after an extended period of unemployment or after leaving formal employment.
She said: “In Britain there are a million young people who are unemployed. Across Europe it’s over five million.
“This is devastating for the young people themselves but also a huge waste for our economy, with potentially disastrous implications for the future.
“We now need to ensure any scheme set up in the UK as a result of today’s vote actually creates real employment.”
Mrs Willmott urged the British government to use the UK’s share of the six billion Euro Youth Guarantee Fund to this end.
