There is NO chance of youth unemployment improving

Discussions on the Today programme this morning about the unemployment figures to be announced later today, particularly youth unemployment.

Very earnest analysis from Rev Lucy Winkett on Thought for the Day (saying "society" had to accept responsibility for youth unemployment).  Very profound analysis from Will Hutton and an academic (whose name I did not catch) about the impact of "the cuts".  None of these intelligent caring people mentioned the devastating impact migration is having on youth unemployment.

The reason there are no starter positions in the economy is because there is an endless supply of well-qualified experienced eastern Europeans taking the jobs.  From the point of view of employers it is a bonanza - why on earth would they employ inexperienced gawky teenagers (still slightly rebellious, still trying to develop their own personalities, still trying to live out their Hollyoaks expectation of society) when they can have compliant obedient eastern Europeans (often with degrees, often with years of experience, often undercutting even the lowest wage rates)?  Especially when the eastern Europeans can be dismissed at a moment's notice and in any case seldom challenge authority (50 years of communism has ensured a mindset where they do as they are told). 

I say the supply of eastern Europeans is endless because inward migration is going to continue at this rate unless and until the countries of eastern Europe achieve economic parity with the United Kingdom.

Therefore there is NO chance of youth unemployment improving until the free movement of labour in the European Union is stopped (and an opportunity to do this might be provided by the treaty renegotiation that is likely to accompany the crisis in the Eurozone, which will have to be ratified by a referendum of the British people).

The Rev Lucy Winkett says that "society" must take responsibility for youth unemployment.  Perhaps someone could remind Rev Winkett that every time opinion polls have asked the ordinary people ("society") about immigration they have always said, very clearly, that they don't want it.  This is supposed to be a democracy and yet for decades the overwhelming view of the people on migration has been ignored.