Sir Keir Starmer responds to Chris Webb in Parliament about creating jobs for young people in Blackpool
The urgent need to create local employment opportunities for young people in Blackpool has been discussed in Parliament.
During a statement to the House of Commons on the recent G7 and NATO summits on Thursday, the Prime Minister responded directly to a question from Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, about the need fore more job opportunities for young people.
Sir Keir Starmer’s pledged his commitment as the Government sets out a historic increase in defence spending, pledging to raise investment to 5% of GDP by 2035.
This commitment is expected to create tens of thousands of high-skilled jobs in defence production, innovation and supply chains across the UK – including in coastal communities like Blackpool.
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Blackpool South MP Chris Webb MP said: “It is the first duty of any Government and Prime Minister to keep this country safe.
“The Prime Minister takes that role incredibly seriously, in stark contrast to what we have seen today from the Leader of the Opposition.
“The Prime Minister has visited Blackpool many times since becoming leader of our party. At my sixth-form college, young people told him that they were crying out for local jobs in the Blackpool area, to keep them there. Will he ensure that the defence increase to 5%, which is welcome, creates the decent, well-paid jobs on the Fylde Coast so that young people in Blackpool can get those jobs where they live?”
Remembering his visit to St Mary’s Sixth Form, which Webb attended in 2003-2005, the Prime Minister replied: “I have visited Blackpool many times, as [Chris Webb] knows. I know first-hand just how important it is for those young people to see money going into their economy, with jobs in Blackpool for them.
“I profoundly remember asking a group of 17-year-olds at a sixth-form college in Blackpool how many were proud to be from Blackpool.
“They all put their hands up. But when I asked how many thought their future jobs would be in Blackpool, only one did. We need to turn that around. This gives us an opportunity to start doing that.”
Mr Webb visited St Mary’s Catholic Academy the following on Friday (June 27) where he spoke to year 10 pupils considering taking politics at A Level, just as the MP did.
The MP took the opportunity to ask the group of 14 and 15-year-olds the same question. Five out of around 15 children said they could see themselves working in Blackpool long term.