An old plague is re-emerging across Bassetlaw: the spectre of mass youth unemployment.

For a decade, though there were always a few out of work, it has been fairly easy for young people to find work in our area. My concern has been about the variety of jobs on offer, the lack of skilled jobs and apprenticeships and the low wages. However work there has certainly been.

Now evidence is emerging of increasing numbers of young people unable to find any work. Not drug addicts refused by employers, or students unable to get occasional work, but young men and women unable to find any work.

And of course for hard pressed students and sixth formers it is also becoming very hard to find part time work.

Our danger is a whole generation who have no work and few opportunities even away from our area. Bombardier is losing thousands of skilled jobs after a government contract for new trains was disgracefully given to the Germans and this week British Aerospace is cutting thousands of engineering jobs at Brough.

I fundamentally disagree with how George Osborne the Chancellor is running the economy and I will continue to challenge him in Parliament.

However it also requires a serious attempt at local action and therefore I am planning my own initiative on youth unemployment in Bassetlaw. I do not know whether it will work, without a change in government economic policy, but I cannot stand by and let this disaster unveil in front of our eyes without attempting something.

This area cannot afford a lost generation of young people and the social and economic problems that this will result in. The young generation is our future and we must work together to fight the disaster of mass youth unemployment.

Early action must include the opening up of the Vesuvius site- we cannot afford to wait any longer for this- and we need Bassetlaw Council and the County Council coming up with proposals for new youth job opportunities and apprenticeships. They must both lead from the front.

And equally importantly we need all employers to look at how they can take on an extra young person or two to provide the opportunities for the future.