IN the olden days, around 1990-something, “entitled” meant having a “legitimate, legal, or official claim to receive or do something according to rules, law, or membership”.
Today, to many of the TikTok generation, it means “believing you deserve more than others without responsibility or reciprocity”.
And therein lies the major problem with .
Writing in The Times yesterday, the Prime Minister has pledged his support to 18 to 24-year-olds, stating he will “invest in the success of our young people” rather than “pay for failure through the system”.
To be fair, everything he says makes sense, and is admirable.
It is also hugely overdue following 14 years of mission-creep Tory complacency, and Keir Starmer.
Because, if only had actually advocated for the picking-up of tools and apprenticeships, we might not be entirely in this fine mess.
Apprenticeships, then, are a key part of Andy Burnham’s Neet manifesto with 400 apprenticeships a year made available by accountancy, legal services and consultancy firms for under-25s.
As we have seen from The Sun’s brilliant campaign, young people ARE willing (and able) to work — they just don’t know where to start.
Until now, the incentive hasn’t been there. Rather, it’s been an endless vicious cycle, which has not been aided by AI rapidly replacing blue and white collar jobs.
Encouragingly, the Government is expected to announce plans aimed at giving young people thousands of job opportunities: the idea being to invest in upskilling youngsters, rather than simply handing them a blank benefits chequebook.
According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, — 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, or training — which makes for grim reading.
Even worse, around 39 per cent are unemployed while the remaining 61 per cent are economically inactive, meaning they are not seeking work.
In his op-ed, Burnham was quick to show compassion to the “yoof”.
He suggested two years of Covid lockdowns had thrown this generation off-kilter and that social media had eroded “confidence and sense of belonging”.
I’d go one further.
In a world that values likes and collagen brand deals over real-life connections and community, many teens today think all their problems can be solved by the swoosh of a smartphone.
Life of sofa-dwelling and PlayStation
“Influencing” has become the career choice du jour, with the belief that immeasurable wealth and happiness can be found with one viral post.
But for every millionaire influencer out there, there are a million more wannabes.
Ones struggling to get dressed of a morning, staring miserably at their phones 24/7, and depressingly feeding a .
Arguably, even worse than this career fallacy, is the overriding sense of entitlement social media had created.
Some young people, especially the privileged percentile ably funded by The Bank of Mum and Dad, believe it is their DIVINE RIGHT to have a lovely life.
They firmly believe that working in a factory, or selling shoes (as my grandad did after World War Two) is beneath them. That they were, somehow, “meant for more”.
Because putting in a ten-hour shift that doesn’t know the difference between Instagram’s Paris filter and a carousel isn’t glamorous.
And it certainly isn’t worthy of a post. And there we have it.
Why work yourself to the bone when there’s a government hand-out just around the corner, and a life of sofa-dwelling and ahead?
This sub-section of Neets do a grave disservice to the legions of talented, driven youngsters who could reenergise our stuttering nation if only they were given a chance.
If Burnham’s Labour is serious about slashing the mickey-taking welfare bill, then he must help employers, not cripple them.
Just as workers must be incentivised, so must both Big and .
Corr blimey, newbie Julie was only 27
SKIP over to the next item if you don’t wish to feel older than Methuselah.
But star was TWENTY-SEVEN when she joined ITV’s Corrie in 1998 as its first trans character, Hayley Cropper, pictured above with onscreen husband Roy.
Feel it in M.I.A bones
NOW, of course, I’d hate to judge a book by its cover, but if this man ain’t guilty, I will eat not only my hat, but my winter coat and anything else that’s going begging.
Bones linked to seven missing women in America have been unearthed from a Philadelphia house of horrors – which was owned by this man Raymond Horsch until his death last year.
For anyone in any doubt – a very large underground safe was also found – here’s a previous mugshot of the grim weirdo.
QUOTE of the week from Jarvis Cocker’s late mother.
Asked about prospective alternative Christian names, she says in a new documentary about the rocker: “When you’ve got a surname like ‘Cocker’, you really couldn’t name him ‘Everard’.”
Indeed.
Pup’s Deir to heart
ON a similar theme, last week on a nice, autumnal walk I met another sausage dog owner. The miniature dachshund’s name? .
Which, obviously, is absolutely brilliant. Except, it gets better.
The owner added: “She’s ‘Deirdre Barlow-Rachid’, though, when she misbehaves.”
Which, for anyone who remembers the “Free Deirdre” campaign, after the character was sent to prison, is v v funny.
Don’s fairer Secs
DONALD TRUMP’s version of DEI is blonde, blue-eyed, deeply tanned and attractive.
And look how that’s gone for him.
’s excruciating five-day tenure as White House press secretary came to an abrupt end on Friday after Trump, politely for him, suggested she “reconsider” the job.
If you haven’t already, Google her truly embarrassing debut briefing, which lasted 14 painful minutes, took in just three questions, and looked and sounded like a toddler speaking its first words.
And while I feel a bit sorry for this woman, ridiculed on a global level, she also pretended to have passed the bar exam, which turned out not to be true.
Going forwards, perhaps Donald – whose idea of “vetting” means taking dogs to get flea’d – should try some diversity.
FINALLY a government money-making scheme I am fully behind.
Andy “Man of the People” Burnham might actually be proving himself to be, well, a man of the people with his latest pledge: .
In a new scheme, Share The Journey, Not The Noise, headphone-swerving little runts could be issued with fines under new powers for local authorities.
10/10, no notes AB.
Taken aback
WHILE, sadly, the law prohibits me from saying what I really think about the ongoing trial, I can say one thing.
All those hours of Kundalini yoga have done the world of good for his posture.
And I’ll leave it there.
