This is obviously not a leaderboard any of us here in Oldham want to be anywhere near the top of, young people in the most deprived areas of our country are suffering after ten years of Tory austerity.
Since 2010 almost nearly one-billion pounds has been taken out of youth services nationwide alone. When you take into account the impact of Tory cuts to our social security system it is no wonder these stats show what they do.
We know on the ground here in Oldham the Council and our fantastic community and voluntary sector are trying everyday to improve the lives of our young people, but the fight against poverty is not an easy one when these organisations have had the rug pulled out from underneath them.
The Covid crisis is likely to make this fight more difficult over the coming years, these stats do not take into account the job and income losses that we have already seen and the ones we know are coming.
We need to invest in all of our young people, we need to let them flourish and enjoy their youth no matter their background. Government needs to step up to prevent more young people from being trapped in a cycle of poverty.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 