Angry student savages Clegg's policy on jobless young

He was challenged by 26-year-old Maya Black over his policy to give jobless youngsters a work placement or training. The student claimed all he was offering was a "glorified piece of paper"

which would not help solve the problem.

When Mr Clegg questioned what she would do, Ms Black was given an ovation by her classmates as she told the Lib Dem leader: "You shouldn't be asking me that – I'm asking you."

The Lib Dem leader also slipped up when he claimed

that 16-year-olds could fight and die for their country in war zones.

He said it was a "basic principle of democracy" that young

adults should get the vote if they were being asked to "lay their life on the line" in the military.

But while teenagers can join the military from 16 they are not sent on active service until they are 18.

In a heated exchange at South Birmingham College, Ms Black said Mr Clegg had "really angered me" by saying that young unemployed people should be put on a training scheme or work placement after 90 days. "It is a glorified piece of paper, that's all it is unless you do something for employers," she said.

Mr Clegg said the Lib Dems planned a scheme to create 800,000 internships.