Chancellor Healey pledges fiscal discipline and youth apprenticeships at Labour conference
Chancellor John Healey told the Labour Party conference that providing jobs, not benefits, is the best support for young people. He announced an expansion of the Local Apprenticeships Service across England, funded by £100m in welfare fraud savings. Healey emphasized strict fiscal discipline ahead of next month’s Budget, stating that the government cannot afford the spending levels of the 1990s. While he praised youth as 'digital natives,' he refused to set a timeline for reducing the benefits bill, citing the need to address the one million young people not in education, employment, or training. The speech faced criticism from opposition parties for lacking detail on how to fund new initiatives while cutting welfare.
