• Young people are set to be hugely disadvantaged by Coronavirus for decades to come, exacerbating mental health challenges, hitting younger workers jobs and pay, and widening educational inequalities.
• Labour is supporting the #PowerOfYouth campaign which is calling on the Government to engage with young people about the impact of Covid-19 on their lives and futures. The Tories’ radio silence on the issue of young people’s future after Covid is unacceptable. Not one of the Government’s support packages have focused on the specific issues young people are facing.
• Young people have been needlessly excluded from the conversation on coronavirus. They deserve to have their voices heard and their questions answered.
• It is time the Government started listening to the young people still waiting to be heard.
• As a first step, the Prime Minister should follow the example set by other international leaders by holding a youth press conference to meaningfully engage with the concerns expressed by young people. But this is an absolute minimum. It is crucial that the Government step in and provide support to the generation of young people who have had their opportunities taken away by this crisis.

Young people have been encouraged by the #iwill campaign to contact their MPs to ask them to support the #PowerofYouth campaign which is calling on the Government to engage with young people about the impact of Covid-19 on their lives and futures. Labour is supporting the campaign which urges the Prime Minister to follow the example set by other international leaders by holding a youth press conference to meaningfully engage with the concerns expressed by young people. But this is an absolute minimum.

It is crucial that the Government step in and provide support to the generation of young people who have had their opportunities taken away by this crisis. We are encouraging MPs to support the campaign on social media, and by writing to the PM.