It was a pleasure to speak at The Sutton Trust’s annual parliamentary reception last week, an important cross-party event focused on improving social mobility and tackling educational disadvantage.
The challenges facing young people in Britain today are serious. Around one million 16–24-year-olds are not in work, education, or training, and far too many graduates are struggling to find opportunities after university. That’s simply not good enough.
I spoke about our clear Conservative vision to turn this around. Our New Deal for Young People will deliver 100,000 apprenticeships for 18–21-year-olds, backed by fully funded training and college places, because every young person deserves a pathway to success.
We’re also committed to easing the burden of student debt by scrapping real interest on Plan 2 loans, saving graduates tens of thousands of pounds, and making it easier to get onto the property ladder by abolishing stamp duty.
Social mobility isn’t just about education or jobs, it’s about giving young people the chance to build a secure future, own a home, and feel invested in their communities.
