I’m proud to support the Conservatives’ New Deal for Young People under Kemi Badenoch to back young people here in Thirsk and Malton and restore fairness to the system.
Too many young people are working hard but finding the system isn’t working for them. Youth unemployment remains too high, graduate opportunities have fallen, and too many are leaving education only to end up on welfare. That has to change.
First, we will abolish real interest rates on Plan 2 student loans, so balances never rise faster than inflation. For many graduates, this will mean saving tens of thousands of pounds and paying off their loans years sooner.
Second, we will end low-value “debt-trap” degrees and make apprenticeships a genuine alternative to university. By lifting the cap on funding for 18–21-year-olds and supporting employers with up to £5,000 for each young apprentice they take on, we will help create 100,000 more apprenticeships — including right here in Thirsk and Malton.
Third, our new First Job Bonus will allow young people to keep the first £5,000 of National Insurance they pay when starting their first job, placing it into a savings account to support their future.
This New Deal will be funded by cutting low-value university courses that leave students with debt they cannot repay and taxpayers footing the bill.
We need bold action to ensure young people in Thirsk and Malton have the opportunities they deserve — and this plan delivers it.
