KEIR: I'LL FIX SKILLS MESS

PM vows to spark careers and fire up economy

- LIZZY BUCHAN

KEIR Starmer will today pledge to increase skills to get the economy firing on all cylinders.

The Prime Minister is launching Skills England, a body tasked with jump-starting young people's careers and providing businesses with the workers they need.

Skills shortages have been blamed for around 36% of job vacancies, which is hampering national productivity. The number of skills vacancies rose from 226,500 in 2017 to 531,200 in 2022.