OF late, Labour have mystified me by claiming they are the party for Britain's youth. In fact they are the party of youth unemployment.

Instead of building a sound economy to create real jobs, Labour proposes large-scale 'supported employment' - in other words, 'make-work' and employment subsidies, not real jobs.

Labour's minimum wage, at £4 an hour, would cost 900,000 jobs. Worst hit would be the young. France and Spain both have a minimum wage. French youth unemployment is 27 per cent; in Spain it is 38 per cent, whereas in the UK it is 15.7 per cent.

Labour would drive youngsters out of education by taking away child benefits from 16-18 year olds. The Tories have created opportunities for the young. It is a fact that one in three young people now go on to higher education, compared with one in eight in 1979.

Young people should not be fooled by Labour's hypocrisy on jobs and education. Talking is cheap and there is nothing that comes much cheaper than Labour's talk.

JOHN FARRER, Mallard Place, Oswaldtwistle.

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