Ex Labour Shadow Minister Chris Williamson explains how the Labour government have now turned their back on young people and are supporting the 21st century Adolf Hitler.
The Labour Party's plans to increase tuition fees to £10,500 is a direct assault on working class kids. pic.twitter.com/7hyEd8KNxB
— Chris Williamson (@DerbyChrisW) October 1, 2024
The following are just some of the ways the two main establishment parties ie. Tories and Labour betray young people:
1. Unaffordable Housing
- Sky-high property prices: Property prices have surged dramatically over the past decades, particularly in major cities like London, making homeownership an unattainable goal for many young people. On average, it now takes over a decade to save for a deposit, with wages failing to keep up with house price inflation.
- Renting crisis: Young people are increasingly trapped in the rental market, where rents continue to rise while protections for tenants remain weak. Insecure tenancy agreements and poor living conditions in many rental properties are common complaints, with landlords having significant power to increase rents or evict tenants with little notice.
- Lack of social housing: There’s a severe shortage of affordable social housing, leaving many young people unable to access this safety net and forced into the expensive private rental market.
2. Cuts to Youth Services
- Austerity measures: Since 2010, significant cuts to local authority budgets have led to the closure of thousands of youth centres and the reduction of community services. These services were crucial in providing social spaces, mental health support, and guidance for young people, particularly in deprived areas.
- Rise in youth crime and mental health issues: The reduction in youth services has been linked to rising levels of youth crime, gang involvement, and mental health issues, as many young people are left without safe spaces to spend their time or seek support.
3. University Tuition Fees
- Tripling of fees: In 2012, university tuition fees in England were raised from £3,000 to £9,000 per year, leaving graduates with tens of thousands of pounds of debt. This move disproportionately affects young people from lower-income families, who are now required to take on significant debt to access higher education.
- Burden of student loans: The current student loan repayment system means many graduates are repaying their debt well into their 40s or 50s, with interest rates increasing the amount they owe over time. For many, this creates a financial burden that delays major life milestones, such as buying a home or starting a family.
4. Low Apprenticeship Standards
- Poor-quality apprenticeships: Many young people pursuing apprenticeships find that their programmes provide limited training or practical experience. Some schemes are seen as exploitative, offering low pay with little chance of career progression or a meaningful qualification at the end.
- Shortage of apprenticeship opportunities: Although governments have pledged to create more apprenticeships, the number of high-quality placements remains limited, particularly in fields that offer long-term career prospects.
5. Zero-hour Contracts
- Precarious employment: A growing number of young workers are employed on zero-hour contracts, which provide no guaranteed hours or income. This type of employment offers little job security, and workers are often unable to plan their finances or secure loans, mortgages, or long-term housing.
- Insecure livelihoods: With little control over their working hours, young people on zero-hour contracts often find it difficult to balance work with further education, training, or childcare responsibilities.
6. Climate Inaction
- Delay in meeting climate targets: Despite government commitments to net-zero emissions by 2050, many young people feel that action on climate change has been too slow and insufficient. The UK government has faced criticism for continuing to support fossil fuel projects and not investing enough in renewable energy or green infrastructure.
- Intergenerational injustice: Young people will bear the brunt of the climate crisis, facing a future of more extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and environmental degradation. Many feel betrayed by older generations and politicians for failing to take the necessary action to protect the planet for future generations.
7. Voting Age Not Lowered
- Lack of political representation: The UK government has repeatedly refused calls to lower the voting age to 16, despite young people being engaged in political movements such as climate strikes and anti-racism protests. This leaves 16- and 17-year-olds without a voice on critical issues that will affect their future, such as education policy, the economy, and the environment.
- Contradiction with other rights: Critics point out that young people can join the armed forces or get married at 16, yet they are not allowed to vote, creating a sense of political disenfranchisement.
8. Stagnant Wages
- Wage gap for younger workers: The national minimum wage for workers under 25 is lower than for older employees, despite the cost of living being the same for all age groups. This creates financial challenges for young people trying to cover rent, bills, and other living expenses on lower wages.
- Real wage stagnation: Even for young people in full-time employment, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation and rising living costs. Many young workers have seen little improvement in their real earnings over the past decade.
9. Cuts to Further Education
- Further education funding cuts: Further education colleges, which provide crucial vocational training and qualifications for young people not pursuing university degrees, have faced years of underfunding. This has resulted in fewer course offerings, reduced teaching hours, and less support for students.
- Limited opportunities for non-university pathways: For young people who do not want to attend university, the reduction in vocational training options limits their career prospects, particularly in trades and technical fields.
10. Mental Health Service Shortfalls
- Insufficient funding for mental health: Despite increasing demand for mental health services among young people, many face long waiting times for treatment. Underfunding of mental health services has led to a shortage of trained professionals and support, with many young people feeling abandoned by the system.
- Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic exacerbated mental health issues among young people, with isolation, uncertainty, and economic pressures contributing to rising levels of anxiety, depression, and self-harm. However, mental health services remain stretched and unable to meet the growing need.
11. Rising Student Debt
- Unmanageable debt levels: Graduates now leave university with an average debt of over £50,000, with repayments taking a significant portion of their income for years. Many graduates will not pay off their student loans before they are written off, but they still face monthly deductions from their pay, reducing their disposable income.
- Debt disincentivising further study: The fear of debt is increasingly deterring young people from lower-income backgrounds from pursuing higher education, exacerbating inequalities in access to university and the job market.
12. Poor Public Transport
- Expensive and unreliable: Public transport, particularly outside of major cities, is often expensive, unreliable, and infrequent, limiting young people’s ability to travel to work, education, or social activities. High transport costs disproportionately affect young people, especially those in rural areas with fewer services.
- Barriers to opportunity: Lack of affordable, reliable transport can be a significant barrier to employment or education for young people, particularly for those who cannot afford to live close to urban centres where opportunities are more plentiful.
13. Cuts to Child Benefits
- Austerity measures: Child benefits and welfare support for low-income families have been reduced over the years, which has disproportionately affected young people growing up in poverty. Cuts to universal credit and housing benefit further exacerbate financial difficulties for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Child poverty: The rise in child poverty in the UK is a growing concern, with many young people facing food insecurity, poor housing conditions, and limited access to extracurricular activities.
14. Lack of Affordable Childcare
- High childcare costs: For young parents, the cost of childcare in the UK is among the highest in Europe. Many young parents find it financially unviable to return to work, as the cost of childcare can exceed their wages.
- Impact on career progression: The lack of affordable childcare disproportionately affects young mothers, limiting their ability to advance in their careers or continue their education, thereby perpetuating gender inequality in the workplace.
15. Job Market Challenges
- Youth unemployment: Young people often face higher unemployment rates than older workers, with the job market becoming increasingly competitive. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this, with young people being disproportionately affected by job losses, particularly in sectors such as retail, hospitality, and leisure.
- Lack of career progression: Even when young people do find employment, many are stuck in low-paid, entry-level positions with little opportunity for career advancement, leaving them feeling trapped in precarious work.
16. Underfunded Schools
- Cuts to education budgets: Schools across the UK have faced years of funding cuts, leading to larger class sizes, reduced subject offerings, and cuts to extracurricular activities. This affects the quality of education that young people receive and limits their ability to explore a range of interests and talents.
- Pressure on teachers: With fewer resources, teachers are often overworked and underpaid, which can negatively impact the quality of education young people receive, particularly in underfunded areas.
17. Rising Cost of Living
- Cost of essentials: Young people face rising costs for housing, food, transport, and energy, making it difficult to save or invest in their future. Many young people find themselves struggling to make ends meet, even with full-time employment.
- Impact of inflation: The cost of living crisis, exacerbated by recent economic challenges such as Brexit and the pandemic, has hit young people particularly hard, as their wages have not kept pace with inflation.
18. Disparities in Social Mobility
- Decline in social mobility: Social mobility in the UK has stalled, with young people from poorer backgrounds finding it increasingly difficult to climb the socio-economic ladder. Inequalities in access to education, housing, and jobs have widened the gap between rich and poor, making it harder for disadvantaged young people to improve their prospects.
- Entrenched inequalities: Young people from more affluent backgrounds continue to benefit from family support, financial stability, and access to elite education, creating a widening gap in opportunities.
19. Social Care Cuts
- Impact on disabled young people: Cuts to social care services have disproportionately affected young people with disabilities, who often rely on these services for support in daily living and independence. With reduced funding, many are left without the help they need to live fulfilling, independent lives.
- Young carers: There are an estimated 800,000 young carers in the UK, many of whom face increasing pressure as government support for social care has been cut. These young carers often sacrifice their own education, social lives, and well-being to care for family members.
20. Regional Inequality
- Disparities between regions: Young people living outside of London and the South East often face fewer opportunities for education, employment, and cultural experiences. The “levelling up” agenda has been criticised for failing to deliver on promises to address these regional disparities.
- Brain drain: Many young people feel forced to move to major cities to access jobs or education, contributing to a brain drain in regions like the North East, Wales, and Northern Ireland, where opportunities are more limited.
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