Tory MEPs were almost isolated today in the European Parliament as MEPs from across the political united in their calls for a guarantee to unemployed youth to get a job for a fixed period.
"MEPs today backed Europe-wide scheme for internship offers after four months' unemployment, yet British Tories and their allies failed to vote with the rest of us," said Stephen Hughes MEP, who speaks for Labour MEPs on Employment.
"It's shameful how the Tories voted. They are isolated. The money for this could come from the European Social Fund," Mr Hughes said.
"MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of new plans to help young people, urging employment ministers in the member states to agree to introduce the schemes in all member states.
"Yesterday the Chancellor of Austria was in the European Parliament, and they already have a good scheme there," he said.
Glenis Willmott, Labour’s Leader in the European Parliament, added: “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.”
“Labour MEP and our colleagues in Europe have been campaigning for youth guarantee schemes for some considerable time now, and I’m delighted that a majority in the Parliament have supported us today. The European Commission has also agreed that this is the way forward.
“It’s now up to the governments - the UK Employment Minister and his counterparts from the other 26 member states will meet in February. Young people will expect action from them,” she said.
Glenis started a campaign for a Youth Jobs Guarantee in a speech at last year's Labour Conference, and followed it up with a Conference on the subject in Nottingham, where employers, experts and politicians from across the EU combined to discuss different approaches to the problem of youth unemployment.
Original article from European Parliamentary Labour Party
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