Only 160 apprenticeship starts in eight months on Labour’s flagship scheme

Exclusive: Government warned ‘skills revolution’ at risk amid slow start to project with target of 30,000 starts by end of parliament

Labour has been warned its “skills revolution” to tackle youth unemployment risks failure, after its flagship apprenticeship scheme enrolled only 160 young people in its first eight months.

The shortfall, highlighted in a report by the Fabian Society, leaves the government well off track of achieving its ambition of 30,000 “foundation apprenticeship” starts by the end of this parliament.