A PETITION to act against youth unemployment has been supported by more than 1,100 people in Thanet.

Labour councillor for Dane Valley, Will Scobie started the campaign for a bankers' bonus tax to fund 100,000 jobs for young people after seeing many close friends struggle to find jobs or training support from the Job Centre.

Mr Scobie invited a group of young job seekers to meet shadow Treasury spokesman Rachel Reeves MP to discuss the issue and their experiences of looking for work.

Mrs Reeves, a former Bank of England economist, has been critical of the Government's economic policy and believes more needs to be done to get young people into work.

She said: "Speaking to young people in Thanet, they just want the Government to provide more jobs.

"One of the first things the coalition did was to cut the Future Jobs Fund and replace it with the Work Programme.

"Speaking to people in Thanet and around the country, nobody has even heard of the Government's flagship scheme.

"Long-term unemployment among young people has doubled this year in Thanet.

"The government is now having to borrow more money to pay for benefits. These are the bills of failure."

Alongside an executive bonus tax, Labour proposes National Insurance exemption for businesses that recruit under 25 staff.

It is a policy supported by local employers who would like to take on more workers.

SAGA Insurance employs more than 1,000 people in Thanet and believe that National Insurance is a tax on recruitment that is preventing firms taking on more young people.

Paul Green, a SAGA spokesman, said: "National Insurance is a tax on jobs. At least a quarter of our workforce is under 25 but younger workers require more investment in terms of training so this would help us to meet these added costs.

"We are looking for at least 100 staff next year and we would hope to take on more local young people."

What do you think? E-mail us with your experiences of looking for work. Contact newsdesk.thanet@KRNmedia.co.uk