Yvette Cooper MP: Our next generation deserve better

Yvette Cooper MP writes: Likewise the year 9s at Carleton whose end of year graduation I attended last week – the school theatre packed with proud parents and teachers. And the Outwood Freeston duo from Normanton who were national finalists in the Big Ideas Competition, and who I watched presenting their ideas on cutting carbon to a national panel of judges in Westminster. All of them young stars.

So many of our children and young people are brimming with talent and energy to change the world for the better – they deserve the best possible opportunities. Their schools, teachers and parents are doing their best. But too often the government is holding young people back and leaving too many children behind.

For a start, not enough is being done to tackle urgent and growing problems with children’s mental health and special educational needs. The combination of social media and the pandemic made things worse for children facing difficulties. Many Five Towns parents have spoken to me about the agonising long waits for mental health appointments or for basic diagnoses for their child. It’s just not good enough. Labour has been calling for mental health professionals to be based in every secondary school to speed things up and help young people early.

Second, state schools still don’t get fair funding. Every child needs the best start in life. So why don’t we make sure that the most expensive private schools pay their fair share and put that money into boosting great state schools? That’s what I’m calling for – which would raise £1.7 billion that could then be used to support new teachers, mental health councillors and careers advice for all children.

Third, there has to be a better deal to help all young people get on and do well, whatever their strengths and skills. I want to see young people being offered high quality vocational and technical training pathways. And we need urgently need investment in good apprenticeships in Yorkshire as part of a proper industrial strategy to ensure we are training up the next generation to take on the new green jobs of the future.

Finally families shouldn’t have to face an endless cost of living crisis that leaves parents under terrible pressure. Since the disastrous Conservative mini-Budget which crashed the economy last year, many families are seeing their mortgage payments shoot up. 12,600 local households across the five towns face increases to their annual mortgage bills of £1700 this year thanks to government mismanagement and this comes on top of rising prices and bills. We need a proper long-term plan to support working people and grow our economy. Parents who have worked hard all year are now finding it hard to afford much needed holidays or keep children busy over the summer. Rishi Sunak’s only response is to tell everyone to “hold their nerve” – what an insult.

Instead of sticking plasters and soundbites from the Prime Minister, the next generation need concrete actions that will break down the barriers holding them back and provide them with the opportunities they need to thrive. Our brilliant next generation deserve better that they’re getting from this government. Change can’t come soon enough.