The borough is failing our young people
By Tim Archer
I want to return to the subject of unemployment and how Tower Hamlets is failing our young people. We have the worst unemployment rate in the country, with 11.7 per cent of the population out of work.
As bad as that statistic is, it hides an even bigger issue - the problem of youth unemployment.
Unemployment among Tower Hamlets' 16- to 24-year-olds is 24 per cent against 14 per cent for the rest of London.
There are 1.3 jobs in the borough for every man, woman and child. That works out at 1.9 jobs for every economically active resident in the borough - but still our young people are not getting the jobs.
What does that tell you about social mobility after 12 years of Labour? What does that tell you about the quality of education in Tower Hamlets?
My fear is that the barriers prevent some of our youngsters taking full advantage. Now that's got nothing to do with how a wedding is organised, and everything to do with how integrated a society is.
Thanks to Labour cuts, Tower Hamlets College is cutting ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages).
Nothing puts up more barriers to getting a job than not being able to speak the language.
It's not about segregation at a wedding. What's important is segregation in society, and on that subject Labour are strangely silent.
- Tim Archer is Conservative councillor, Blackwall & Cubitt Town Ward & prospective MP
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