Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, speaking ahead of a Government announcement on youth unemployment today, said:

“With more than 900,000 young people unemployed and 250,000 young people out of work for over a year its clear the Government is failing to get young people back to work. Even the government’s own advisers branded its flagship scheme for young people, the Youth Contract, a failure. In December the Government admitted that the last time long-term youth unemployment reached the levels we are seeing was under the last Tory government led by John Major.

"Labour would act to tackle the high levels of youth unemployment with a Compulsory Jobs Guarantee, funded by repeating the tax on bank bonuses. This would guarantee real paid work for young people unemployed for a year– work they would have to take or lose their benefits.”