Lord David Blunkett has urged the government to adopt a 'New Deal' approach to address the crisis facing over a million young people in the UK who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Writing in the Daily Mirror, the former Labour home secretary highlighted the findings of Alan Milburn's interim report, which warned of a generational crisis as traditional industries disappear.
Blunkett pointed to the government's £725 billion 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy as a key opportunity to create jobs for young people. Major projects such as the Lower Thames Crossing and Heathrow expansion require a construction workforce of up to 706,000 over the next five years, according to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.
Drawing parallels with President Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s and Labour's 1997 welfare-to-work programme, Blunkett argued that infrastructure investment can provide young people with purpose and confidence. He emphasised that this is not just an economic policy but a social one, noting his own experience advising Heathrow on skills and careers.
The Labour peer stressed that the government must not delay projects that can create genuine opportunities. 'We have a unique moment to invest both in Britain's future prosperity and those taking the first step on the ladder to self-reliance,' he wrote.
