Am I missing something?

[shelfside]

Originally Posted by ABERS

I think the most disturbing statistic to come out today is that 20% of the 16-23 year olds in our country are without jobs.

I don't think enough is made of the Apprenticeships available to the unemployed of that age which surprises me - my brother has taken on a couple and the government pay a fair chunk of the wages.

[Sue Allen]

................

[GeoffWessex]

I always thought that the best thing for the strength of any economy is the 'confidence' that the money markets have in it. The UK has, as far as I can see, done more than any other country in the world to rectify its spending - many of the measures which are really going to hurt the British taxpayer in the next couple of years make the post-war days of 'austerity' look like some kind of 'boom' time.

Meanwhile, the USA has a national debt that's into the trillions of dollars, people in their thousands losing their houses and unemployment at the highest since the 1920s. And the US dollar is rock steady (though now overtaken by the Canadian dollar, without Canada appearing to have done anything).

Why should I, living in Canada, care? My pension - my main income - comes from the UK. Three years ago a pound was worth 2.2 Can$..... it's now worth 1.6 Can$.

The really worrying thing, as ABERS touched on, is that an unemployed youngster in the UK has no hope whatsoever. There's next to no manufacturing industry, no mines, no steel, no shipbuilding. Housing prices, rents etc have been way beyond the dreams of many kids in the UK for many years. Nearly everything you buy in shops is made abroad. At least people in most other countries can strive for (I won't say 'afford') a house at some point in the future..... across the border from me, in New York state, houses are on the market for under US$90,000 (56,000 pounds)..... that's an annual income for a couple in quite low-paid jobs.

I find it all very sad.

[ABERS]

Originally Posted by shelfside

I don't think enough is made of the Apprenticeships available to the unemployed of that age which surprises me - my brother has taken on a couple and the government pay a fair chunk of the wages.

Is this a re-hash of the old YTS scheme that appeared in the 80's and 90's? A mate of mine used this to it's utmost, keeping youngsters on for the required period of time and reaping the benefits of the government's contribution and then letting them go only to take on another YTS so not increasing his labour costs.

Thatcher and her cronies used the unemployment route to help businesses keep down labour costs,the old "if you don't want to work for those wages, there are plenty out there that will" approach. Whilst unemployment is on the rise, the stance now is to let immigration rip and have a pool of cheap labour from that source.

As Geoff mentions, austerity now will be like a picnic when compared to the post war austerity of the late 40's and 50's. I don't think we will be queueing at bread shops or the butchers, it might be a good idea to put sweets on ration to help with the obesity problems we have!

[Drew Smith]

It really wouldn't surprise me, and I say this with a heavy heart, if we were to see 'unrest' on the street this summer.

[nikonian]

Originally Posted by silversnapper1

My thought entirely Drew.

We just seem to be too busy bailing other countries out at the expense of the taxpayers here.

I remember seeing two females on TV in Dublin saying "If things do not improve here we will have to move over to London" Celtic tiger eh, Why doesn`t that place just sink.