Brewdog founder James Watt slams Burnham over Neets crisis

Brewdog co-founder James Watt has criticized Andy Burnham for his "dangerous narratives" regarding youth unemployment, disagreeing with the government's approach to the issue. Watt, who helped launch the UK's craft beer movement with Brewdog, shared a video where Burnham claimed that young people who are out of education, employment, and training (Neets) have been failed by the education system.

"They’ve been let down by an education system that told them there was only one route to success, and then left them without the opportunities to get their foot in the door elsewhere," the Prime Minister stated in a TikTok post. However, Watt disagreed with Burnham's assessment, asserting that the issue is a "dangerous narrative."

Watt argued that teaching young people to believe their circumstances are someone else's fault does not empower them, and emphasized that personal responsibility is crucial for progress. With nearly one million Neets aged between 16 and 24 in the UK, Burnham's claim gained traction. In May, a review by former health secretary Alan Milburn found that the welfare state and social media were to blame for the "economic catastrophe."

Retail and hospitality industry leaders have urged the government to tackle the Neets crisis by reducing the tax burden on businesses, allowing them to hire more workers. Watt accused Burnham of "stripping them of agency" by attributing the issue to external forces, stating that "the government’s job is to remove barriers, reward work, protect freedom, and then get out of the way."