Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, has outlined an ambitious plan aimed at reinvigorating the economy of the South West by tackling economic inactivity and extending employment opportunities.
With Labour’s mission to grow the economy at the forefront, this initiative seeks to reverse the trend of rising unemployment in the region.
In the South West, more than 661,000 people are currently economically inactive, marking an increase of over 74,000 during the current Parliament. This translates to nearly one in five working-age individuals being out of the labour force. Particularly concerning is the 83% rise in young people out of work due to health reasons, amounting to 19,200 affected individuals.
Nationally, the picture is equally bleak, with 9.4 million people now economically inactive, an increase of 824,000 since the last General Election. The Conservative government’s failure to manage the economy, jobs, and health has resulted in the worst record for economic inactivity in any Parliament to date. Kendall asserts that this failure permeates every corner of the country.
Despite promises, the Tories have not managed to restore Britain’s employment rate to pre-pandemic levels. Labour’s contrasting approach aims to elevate the employment rate from 75% to 80%, which would be the highest in the G7 and translate to over two million more people in work across the UK.
Under Labour’s plans, the South West is poised to lead the charge in addressing economic inactivity and expanding employment opportunities for those currently marginalised from the workforce.
Kendall highlights the successes already seen in regions with Labour Mayors, who have significantly contributed to employment and career progression. However, she emphasises the need for these leaders to be granted more power to drive further change. Labour’s strategy includes devolving employment support and integrating health, work, and skills.
Key components of Labour’s plan to rejuvenate employment include:
- Establishing a new national jobs and careers service, merging Jobcentre Plus with the careers service to support job seekers and those seeking better opportunities.
- Implementing a youth guarantee to provide training, apprenticeships, or job search assistance for all young people aged 18-21, preventing early exclusion from the workforce.
- Reducing NHS waiting times with an additional 40,000 appointments per week during evenings and weekends, and providing mental health support in schools and communities.
- Overhauling skills development with new Technical Excellence Colleges and reforming the apprenticeship levy, which has seen a decline in starts for young people.
- Introducing new employment advisers for young people in Labour’s Young Futures hubs, offering tailored, specialist support, and ensuring high-quality work experience.
- Transforming Access to Work for disabled individuals, giving them the confidence to enter the workforce with assured support.
Liz Kendall stated, “The Tories’ failure to get Britain working stretches into every corner of the country. This is bad for people, bad for businesses, and bad for growth. After 14 years, all the Tories have to offer is more of the same, with the number of people out of work and the benefits bill both set to rise over the next five years. This isn’t good enough for working people or British business. Labour has a plan to get Britain working: creating good jobs in every part of the country, making work pay, transforming skills, overhauling jobcentres, and tackling the root causes of worklessness like poor physical and mental health. It’s time for change. In every corner of the country, Labour will get Britain working again and get Britain growing again.”
