The Labour leader has promised to find jobs for unemployed young people, announcing a policy whereby anyone aged 18-24 and out of work for a year will be required to do a minimum of 25 hours a week of paid work on a six-month government scheme, or lose their right to benefits. Below, writers from Live magazine respond to his proposals.
For this young person, the scheme is far from inspiring – Kamilla Baiden
The prospect of providing quality training, a minimum wage and a guaranteed job for six months to the long-term unemployed is welcome news. Finally a scheme where unemployed young people are "guaranteed" a job – a paid job too. No more working for free in Poundland, no more folding clothes in Primark, here is a quality opportunity young people will actually want to do.
Or is it? The proposed scheme is inspiring and produces a glimmer of hope for the 49,000 Neets, but what about graduates? People who have studied in order to get a career-based job? What about the long-term unemployed graduate, who has studied for three years and undertaken countless hours of unpaid work experience? How can a scheme that doesn't offer high-quality jobs appeal to them, or to any young person wanting to establish a lifelong career?
For this young person, the scheme is far from inspiring. It should be getting companies and organisations that we actually want to work for to create positions for young people from all walks of life. This would produce a generation proud of their jobs and their careers. People who want to work and who would then inspire future generations to aim for career-based jobs that raise aspirations and are much more appealing than the dole or any other benefits.
Labour lies gagging on outdated ideas – Robbie Wojciechowski
It's funny that Ed, someone who's so vocal about the youth's political disillusionment, is as much the vision of his own nightmare as he is a politician who fails to engage this country's youth. "However big an injustice seems, it's not too big for politics to overcome," he said, starting today's youth conference.
He said this to a room of people who in the past year have been lied to by politicians more times than his face has been compared to that of a fictional cartoon character. Ed's ignorance is charming; his jokes are plucky, but his personality is akin to that of stale bread.
Labour already lies gagging on outdated ideas and traditional party ideology. And Ed's not someone who's going to change any of that. Voters may see him as the face of politics' young authoritarians, but the fact is, the policies he lays out today are just ideas we'll never see put into action. Ed's pledges for the youth might look good as part of a PR campaign, but the future of politics lies in the hands of those who sit in the conference room asking the questions. Not Labour.
His 'real jobs guarantee' isn't a guarantee at all – Omar Shahid
Ed Miliband's plans to reduce youth unemployment are radical, bold and necessary, but are flawed on many levels. Politicians fight to win votes and attract news-grabbing headlines, their impact on real issues facing society is minimal.
Miliband believes we can increase employment among the youth through a bank bonus tax. If bankers were already greedy enough to take extortionate bonuses, what's stopping them from demanding stock options, or asking for an increased salary as opposed to getting a bonus? Where will the money to fund employment come from then? Labour already plan on lowering tuition fees from a maximum of £9,000 to £6,000, so there will be less money there.
Jobs can only be created if certain criteria are met. The government needs to stop depressing people with a negative economic outlook; literacy and education rates need to be improved; young people need to be inspired to create a future; the youth should have mentors from the real world and we need to denounce the "get rich quick" culture endemic in our society popularised by reality TV.
I applaud Miliband's passion, his desire to connect with the youth – he hasn't allowed political machinations to distract him from his radical agenda. His limitations as an orator, however, shouldn't detract from his ideology, which I agree with. However, there is one problem: his "real jobs guarantee" isn't actually a guarantee at all.
Source: Guardian.co.uk, Friday 16th March 2012
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