Under this Tory government, young people have always been at the back of the queue. Despite the disruption to schools and colleges, ministers refused to fund the education catch-up plan which was needed.
Nor have they done anything to help school leavers find a job – even though it is the younger generation which has been the worst affected by the economic slowdown.
Teenagers aged 16 and over have also been let down when it comes to getting the Covid vaccination.
As we reveal today, some 16 and 17-year-olds are having to make a five-hour return bus journey in order to get a jab.
Out-of-touch ministers have clearly not thought through the fact that most youngsters of that age are unable to drive and are reliant on public transport.
There is no point urging young people to get a jab – and threaten to deny them access to events if they don’t have one – if they are not able to access a dedicated vaccination centre.
Nor does it help when there are so many mixed messages about whether 12 to 15-year-olds should be vaccinated.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has concluded that there are marginal benefits to rolling out the jab to this age group. The decision has now been passed to the Chief Medical Officers, who are under pressure from ministers to overrule the JCVI.
There are good arguments for extending the rollout to schoolchildren if it helps to contain the spread of the virus and prevents further disruption to their education.
But the Government should also remember that six million adults in Britain have yet to
be vaccinated.
Perhaps the priority should be making it easier for those who can have the jab to do so.
