JOHN Farrer's claim (Letters, July 1) that Labour are the party of youth unemployment is completely absurd. When Labour left office in 1979 youth unemployment (those aged 24 or under) was around 300,000 people. Now that figure is nearer 1,000,000.

While it is true many more youths are in education, one of the reasons for this is the fact that there are so few proper jobs available.

Just eight per cent of school leavers in Blackburn, for example, obtain employment (1995 figure).

For those in work, jobs are often insecure, part-time and, thanks to the Tories' abolition of wages councils, wage rates at the lower end of the market have actually reduced.

Under the Tories, male full-time employment has dramatically reduced - 1.2 million jobs in this category were lost between 1989-1993 alone.

Mr Farrer's claim that Labour's plan for a national minimum wage "would cost 900,000 jobs" is also absurd.

There is no serious academic evidence that a minimum wage will cost jobs.

Indeed, some research suggests that employment will increase due to the extra demand stimulated by a minimum wage.

Perhaps Mr Farrer is simply quoting Tory central office propaganda. A recent survey in The Times shows that even 75 per cent of employers are not opposed to Labour's policy.

In 1979, the Tories had the cheek to campaign on the slogan 'Labour isn't working!' It is clear that after 17 years of Tory incompetence, Labour would be hard-pushed to do any worse.

COUN DAVE SMITH, (Sunnyhurst Ward), Avondale Road, Darwen.

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