Firstly, I would like to congratulate you in your recent appointment as spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat on the specific brief of Youth and Equality. I wish you well in your work to ensure you promote positive images of young people and raise their aspirations.

In your blog, you pinpointed key issues that require addressing, which are significantly important. However, the Government must attempt to address, with your lobbying, the issue of young people vulnerable to extremist messages. This was supported by
Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, Khalid Mahmood, who said: "Our young people have been allowed to fall into the hands of fringe organisations who are getting at them at universities, schools, colleges and mosques. They are being manipulated." Furthermore, the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Tarique Ghaffur, suggested that our young people had, since September 11th 2001, of course,
developed a strong sense of connection with Islam. The cumulative effect, in my Ghaffur's opinion, of Islamophobia, both internationally and nationally, linked to social exclusion, has created a generation of angry young people who are vulnerable to exploitation. Therefore, this undoubtedly creates a generation of young people who become vulnerable to the "simplistic" anti-western messages of extremist organisations, advocating closed and hostile views of other religions, which is regarded as attractive by vulnerable young Muslims. Furthermore, leadership organisations with the Muslim community further aggravate the unpleasant situation by campaigning on foreign issues. The leadership organisation should, in my opinion, choose to address bread and butter issues affecting young Muslims in Britain. This undoubtedly includes unemployment, training and various other issues of common concern. I therefore provide little praise for such organisations, and thus urge the Government to take positive measures to address this issue. To conclude this part of my lengthy contribution, I would agree with the assessment of the Met's Assistant Commissioner, where he eloquently argued that "We must think long and hard about the causal factors of anger and resentment[of young Muslims]. In particular, we need to adopt an evidence-based approach to building solutions. I therefore, with the support of many people and police officers, including Britain's highest ranking Muslim officer, support the calling for an independent judicial review of the issue of young Muslims and extremism and the wider community dimension.

On a somewhat different matter, the Government needs to urgently address issues of teenage pregnancies, which are at epidemic levels. Furthermore, the support provision available for single parent teenage families, where many of them can bearly survive. Additionally, there are issues, as you rightly say Lynne, to encourage people into education and employment. Not only within black communities, but all communities should equally be equipped to enter further and subsequently higher education. I certainly accept the analysis that we need to make sure that every young person has the chance to achieve a place at university or have access to ‘on the job’ training. We need to make sure that young people have the financial assistance through college and university to realise their ambition - whatever their background. Not only selectively choosing which communities we want to help, if we choose to do that, your analysis would still be wrong. As Bangladeshis do far worse than Afro-Carribbean or African children, thus we should design initiatives to help Bangladeshi children to attain better results in school etc etc.

Thanks

Mash