Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:36 pm  

Rather than ponder over whether Clegg did or didn't use the c-word intentionally or otherwise (not in my opinion) I think we are all missing the major point which is wrapped up in the current youth unemployment debate/new initiative, and that is the presentation of the nations 16 to 24 years olds as being idle scroungers who just sit around all day watching TV.

In the same way that the disabled do, idle scroungers sitting around watching TV all day, etc, etc...

The truth is of course that there are very few job opportunities for school leavers of any age or qualification and the window of opportunity to be taken on by an employer and not cast adrift on a scrapheap of unemployability is very narrow, I consider my two 18-24 year olds to be very lucky to be in full time work but I am not so quick to condemn all young people as being unemployable, lazy scroungers, just kids in the wrong place in the wrong era.

Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:26 pm  

McLaren_Field wrote:

Rather than ponder over whether Clegg did or didn't use the c-word intentionally or otherwise (not in my opinion) I think we are all missing the major point which is wrapped up in the current youth unemployment debate/new initiative, and that is the presentation of the nations 16 to 24 years olds as being idle scroungers who just sit around all day watching TV.

In the same way that the disabled do, idle scroungers sitting around watching TV all day, etc, etc...

The truth is of course that there are very few job opportunities for school leavers of any age or qualification and the window of opportunity to be taken on by an employer and not cast adrift on a scrapheap of unemployability is very narrow, I consider my two 18-24 year olds to be very lucky to be in full time work but I am not so quick to condemn all young people as being unemployable, lazy scroungers, just kids in the wrong place in the wrong era.

I did think something similar at the time, but I was too busy sniggering about him dropping the c-bomb to make any serious comment.

Hello : Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:02 am  

+28.000. Call me and Gideons private sector job creation policies seem to be going well.

Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:36 pm  

"its a price worth paying" (again)

Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:14 pm  

McLaren_Field wrote:

"its a price worth paying" (again)

It's only really hitting part-time women workers badly – and we all know it's just pin money for them ...

Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:26 pm  

LeighGionaire wrote:

It's a Catch 22 situation, the problem is too much debt yet the economy grinds to a halt if people stop spending money they haven't got!

Just as Labour told the Tories it would.

Re: UK unemployment rises to 2.68m : Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:40 pm  

If you want to talk about economic gloom - did anyone see Newsnight last night?