Flagship jobs programme ‘in danger of falling flat’

A flagship scheme to tackle surging youth unemployment could fail to take off as firms struggle to create jobs in the face of the coronavirus downturn, work and pensions select committee chairman Stephen Timms has warned. The £2.1bn Kickstart programme is a cornerstone of Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor’s plan to prevent a joblessness crisis – but fears are growing it will be largely ignored by businesses focused solely on staying afloat. Mr Timms, a former employment minister, sai