The launch of Labour’s groundbreaking young people manifesto today is further evidence of Ed Miliband’s determination to put the future of the younger generation at the heart of this election campaign.
This generation of young people are energetic, creative and leading a new era of innovation. They believe in personal responsibility but are crying out for a Government which is on their side. They have been abandoned by a Tory party which has nothing to say to young people and the Lib Dems whose broken promises have not only damaged their own support but massively corroded trust in politicians and the capacity of politics to make a difference. Too many young people are weighed down by debt and held back by insecure work with little prospect of career progression. Home ownership is a distant dream. One young person said to me recently echoing the sentiments of many, “I’ve worked hard and done everything right, but I’m stuck in a rut and don’t feel good about the future.”
- Reducing graduate and national debt, by cutting tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000 and increasing student maintenance grants by £400
- Guaranteeing high quality apprenticeships for all school-leavers that get the grades.
- Making work pay by banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, and raising the National Minimum Wage to more than £8 by October 2019.
- Investing in the jobs of the future and showing our commitment to climate change by making Britain a world leader in low carbon technology over the next decade, creating a million more green jobs.
- Ensuring no young person is left behind, by guaranteeing a paid starter job with training to all those unemployed for more than a year.
- Tackling rising housing costs, by building more homes, helping first time buyers and legislating for longer and more affordable tenancies in the private rented sector.
- Strengthening the voice of young people by giving 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote.
- With polling day three weeks away, Labour is once again challenging conventional wisdom in this election.
Content from our partners
