After such troubles, we lament the high unemployment of the young and propose solutions. They always take the form of training, apprentices and talk about education.

I propose that there be none of that. No training. No apprenticeships and no increased educational opportunities.

Instead, I propose that several workfare experiments are created whereby young unemployed people go directly into full-time employment and in return move from benefit to a half-decent (not wholly decent) low wage. Transferring from benefit to these jobs can, at first, be voluntary.

Young unemployed people need to acquire the habit of work. A year of such work will help any young person who wishes to proceed to training or further education.

What kind of jobs could be devised?

Remember, not everyone wants to go into training or education. Some people need work that requires low skills. They can acquire skills on the job. And then as they gain skills and confidence their ambitions rise and opportunities open up.

But what jobs? We need useful jobs that young, unskilled people can do. That is the real challenge, isn't it? As for deprivation, racism, education, training, challenge, ambition, motivation, self-esteem, gang culture. neglect, social cohesion, social exclusion and so on, talking about these things is easy. People have careers talking about these things.

But try and think up 10,000 jobs in London for young, unskilled people. Jobs that would put them on the first step of a useful working life. That is our real challenge.