Opposition Day: Youth unemployment

Parliament voted on 28 January 2026 on an Opposition Day motion -- a debate initiated by the opposition rather than the government -- calling on ministers to take stronger action to tackle youth unemployment. The motion criticised the government's record and demanded new measures to address rising levels of young people out of work, education, or training. It was defeated by 287 votes to 91.

The vote reflects concern about a reported rise in youth unemployment since Labour took office in 2024. Government ministers acknowledged during debate that youth unemployment stood at around 16% and rising -- up from below 14% when the Conservatives left office -- though they attributed the trend to problems inherited from the previous administration. The practical question at stake is whether current government initiatives, including a "youth guarantee" and investment through a growth and skills levy, are sufficient to reverse the trend, or whether more urgent or substantial intervention is needed.

The division fell entirely along party lines. All 91 Aye votes came from Conservative MPs, with one Independent and one Democratic Unionist Party member also voting in favour. Labour and Labour Co-operative MPs voted unanimously against, totalling 283 No votes. Notably, the Liberal Democrats -- with 72 MPs -- were entirely absent from the vote, as were all eight Reform UK members. The motion sits within a broader Conservative parliamentary strategy of holding the Labour government to account on economic and employment issues, in the context of ongoing debate about the Employment Rights Bill and the government's labour market policies.