Top Tory dismantles Labour's approach to youth unemployment with new scheme: 'Typical high spending!'

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More than one million young people are not in employment, education or training in Britain

Helen Whateley has launched a scathing attack on Labour's approach to getting young Britons into work.

Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary hit out at the Government's Job Guarantee scheme, arguing that they have "destroyed British businesses".

The Jobs Guarantee scheme offers a direct route into work for all 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months.

Almost 100,000 young people will be supported into work by the scheme in the next three years, with the first cohort of young people having already started positions at retail giant Boots.

As GB News host Stephen Dixon argued that the move is "welcome", Ms Whateley was quick to disagree.

She said: "Really what's going on here is that Labour has taxed businesses, added red tape and reduced the opportunities for young people, so they have literally destroyed job opportunities for young people.

"Under Labour, we now have one million young people not in education, employment or training. That's one million Neets and tens of thousands fewer vacancies in the economy."

The Tory MP argued that the Government has made it "so hard" for businesses to hire young people.

She said: "I speak to so many businesses who say to me that because of the higher taxes, the extra costs and actually the extra red tape as well, they are reducing their hiring of young people.

"If they've got a choice between an experienced person and a young person, they're going to pick the experienced person because they made it so hard for them to hire young people. So what Labour is doing is, I think, a big distraction exercise from those terrible policies that they've put in place the damage they're doing to young people by talking very loudly about this youth guarantee, when really they've taxed businesses and they're using some of that money to subsidise jobs and work experience for young people."

Ms Whateley urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to "back British business" and "give real opportunites to real people".

She told GB News: "Yes of course I welcome work experience, but actually what young people tell me again and again is they really want real jobs.

"What the Government should be doing is backing business, getting out of the way so that businesses can create jobs and give real opportunities to young people."

Pressed on why she is so "critical" of the scheme, Ms Whateley explained it is a "classic Labour approach" to a problem and involves "higher spending".

She said: "What the Government is literally doing is it's put up taxes on businesses, and then it's spending some of those taxes on work placements for people, particularly in big businesses.

"It's just a classic Labour approach to a problem, which is that the Government is the answer and that higher taxes is the answer and higher spending is the answer.

"No, the answer is lower taxes, lower Government spending, and for there to be more opportunities that the economy creates for young people in areas where businesses really know they actually need people and opportunities to grow, which can be long term careers and have people really contributing to our economy. So the answer isn't more Government and more taxes, it's actually less government and less taxes."

In a statement, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: "Young people want to get on in life but for too long too many have been denied that opportunity. The Jobs Guarantee helps change that.

"Seeing the first young people start their roles brings to life what this scheme is about: real jobs, proper wages, and a genuine route into a career.

"As we roll this out to tens of thousands more young people across the country, we’re backing the next generation to succeed and backing British businesses to grow with the talent they need."