Press release: Dismore Raises Youth Unemployment at Mayor’s Question Time
Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, has raised the issue of youth unemployment during Mayor’s question time. Mr Dismore challenged Conservative Mayor Johnson over his pledge to create new jobs in London.
Mr Dismore said:
“Mayor Johnson claims that he will create 200,000 jobs in London, but when challenged on the detail he hasn’t a clue.
“I asked him repeatedly one simple question: “how many of his proposed new jobs will be full time permanent jobs for London’s long term young unemployed people?” We heard a lot of bluster, but no clear goal or target and no clear figure of how many jobs will be for young people.
Under Mayor Johnson’s watch last year, long term youth unemployment in London more than doubled, increasing by 114% to 20,070 ( April 2011 to April 2012) and youth unemployment generally increased to 53,410.
In Barnet, long term youth unemployment went up by 86% and in Camden by 55%.
For the Mayor to give vague and woolly answers as is his style, in the face of this growing crisis is unacceptable. He needs to get a grip on the detail and have a clear idea of what he is going to do to tackle this scourge of unemployment harming young Londoners”.
