Archbishop rues ‘blight of difficult year’

HIGH youth unemployment and the failure to reform social care for the elderly more quickly are “a blight on our nation’s conscience”, the Archbishop of York said yesterday.

Dr John Sentamu chose the issues as examples of what had been “a difficult year for many of us” as he delivered BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day.

And he appealed for people to “recover genuine support” for others in need through volunteering and helping charities with their work.

“Sadly, we are ending the year with a blight on our nation’s conscience: a million unemployed young people and the snail’s pace towards finding a long-term solution for the social welfare of older people.”