Clegg denies government has turned its back on young people
Andy Hillier
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the government cares deeply about young people despite cuts in youth services and planned rises in tuition fees.
Speaking at the Positive for Youth summit in Westminster on Wednesday, he said: "An allegation has been made that this government has somehow turned its back on young people because of the controversy around higher education, the replacement for education maintenance allowances, changes to Connexions, pressure on youth services and the increase in youth unemployment."
But he said: "I emphatically and totally reject that accusation. No government that I’m part of will turn its back on young people."
Cuts in public spending were necessary to prevent young people from having to pay off the debts of older generations, he said. "I feel there is almost a moral mandate for us to wipe the slate clean for the next generation. It’s a bit like my wife and myself racking up debts on our credit cards and then saying that it’s all too difficult to deal with and instead we’ll get our three young sons to pay it off for us."
He added that every day the country is spending £120m on servicing the interest on the national debt, which is enough to build a primary school every hour. "It’s in effect a form of intergenerational theft," he claimed.
The government is taking action to improve the lives of young people, he said. He pointed to reforms in the criminal justice system, which in the past has "vilified young people". He said: "The criminal justice system has created a conveyor belt in which the young offenders of today have become the hardened criminals of tomorrow."
Extending the early years free entitlement to the most disadvantaged two-year-olds and the introduction of the pupil premium will also benefit future generations, he added.
But his comments did not go down well with some of the young delegates. One commented on Twitter: "Have emailed the Lib Dem policy committee to ask for a proper Lib Dem response to the issues raised about young people. Not a Nick Clegg one."
Another tweeted: "Maybe Nick Clegg turned up at the wrong summit today?"
But he said: "I emphatically and totally reject that accusation. No government that I’m part of will turn its back on young people."
Cuts in public spending were necessary to prevent young people from having to pay off the debts of older generations, he said. "I feel there is almost a moral mandate for us to wipe the slate clean for the next generation. It’s a bit like my wife and myself racking up debts on our credit cards and then saying that it’s all too difficult to deal with and instead we’ll get our three young sons to pay it off for us."
He added that every day the country is spending £120m on servicing the interest on the national debt, which is enough to build a primary school every hour. "It’s in effect a form of intergenerational theft," he claimed.
The government is taking action to improve the lives of young people, he said. He pointed to reforms in the criminal justice system, which in the past has "vilified young people". He said: "The criminal justice system has created a conveyor belt in which the young offenders of today have become the hardened criminals of tomorrow."
Extending the early years free entitlement to the most disadvantaged two-year-olds and the introduction of the pupil premium will also benefit future generations, he added.
But his comments did not go down well with some of the young delegates. One commented on Twitter: "Have emailed the Lib Dem policy committee to ask for a proper Lib Dem response to the issues raised about young people. Not a Nick Clegg one."
Another tweeted: "Maybe Nick Clegg turned up at the wrong summit today?"
