Leaders launch youth jobs drive

 11 May 2011 Last updated at 23:24 ET  David Cameron and Nick Clegg walked into Downing Street together a year ago David Cameron and Nick Clegg will be together at an event later to launch a government drive on youth unemployment.

The prime minister and his deputy will announce a ￡60m package to boost work prospects and vocational education.

They will commit in their appearance in London to tackle "structural barriers" to young people starting a career.

It comes as the coalition is under more strain after the flagship policy of directly elected police commissioners was defeated in the House of Lords.

Unexpected defeat

The relationship was already tense after Nick Clegg stressed how his party was influencing government policy and David Cameron told his MPs he would not allow the Lib Dems to pose as moderators to the Tories' ambitions.

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It's time to reverse the trend of rising youth unemployment that has held back our country for far too long”

End Quote David Cameron Then on Wednesday night the House of Lords backed a Lib Dem move to block the plans for directly elected police commissioners.

This inflicted an unexpected defeat on a key government policy, part of the coalition agreement.

Labour has suggested the legislation cannot survive in its current form but the Home Office has made it clear it will try to overturn the vote in the Commons.

Work experience

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker says the defeat demonstrates how hard it may be to maintain discipline as the two parties in the coalition each strive to be more assertive about their own separate identities.

The launch comes a year after Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron walked into Downing Street together.

The government said it would provide funding for 250,000 more apprenticeships over the next four years and 100,000 work placements over the next two years.

More than 100 large companies and tens of thousands of small businesses had pledged to offer work experience places, ministers added.

'Vital steps'

Mr Cameron said: "It's time to reverse the trend of rising youth unemployment that has held back our country for far too long and help our young people get the jobs on which their future - and ours - depends.

"But government can't act alone. We need employers who are prepared to give young people a go.

"So I'm delighted that over 100 large companies and tens of thousands of small and medium sized enterprises have already responded to our call for work experience placements so that tens of thousands of young people can take those vital first steps in experiencing the world of work."

Mr Clegg said: "We all have a responsibility - government, business, charities, education providers - to work together to find a solution."

But TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the proposals failed to match the guarantees given by the now cut Future Jobs Fund.

"The best thing the government could do is stop their deep rapid spending cuts that are running the whole economy into the ground, with the young as the worst victims," he said.