Talking to young people injected optimism and ambition into the manifesto for them

Labour’s youth manifesto, launched today, is a symbol of our commitment to young Britain. Built on five years of conversations and a mass consultation, Shape Your Future, with young people across the country, our plan for young Britain has been built with and for young people.

With the help of trade unions, Young Labour and Labour candidates across the country we heard from the widest range of young people. In universities, colleges, workplaces and youth clubs across the country, they told us that they’ve been hit hard by this Coalition. Losing the Education Maintenance Allowance, the future jobs fund, careers advice and youth services, many young people are held back by low pay, high living costs and job insecurity. Many more have felt deeply let down by the decision to raise tuition fees to £9,000 and a series of broken promises like this have cost faith in politicians. Yet despite this they believe Britain can do better than this.

That optimism and ambition runs like a thread through our manifesto. From young people who’ve defied the odds to find work, care for siblings and parents, bring up their children on low pay or take on significant debt to go to university, Ivan Lewis, Jan Royall and I were inspired by their achievements.

They didn’t just tell us their problems, they gave us the answers – to ban unpaid internships, put them in the driving seat of youth service provision, cut graduate debt and raise the maintenance grant. They demanded a more open, tolerant society and a country that looks outwards to the world. They are the proof that Labour is right to believe in young people, to commit to giving young people the vote at 16, and to write this manifesto with young Britain. Young people deserve a plan that matches their energy and ambition, based on the knowledge that Britain succeeds when working people succeed. Let’s use that talent, and rebuild Britain for the better.