THE Tories are “writing off” young people by failing to tackle the root causes of economic activity, Labour said yesterday, with those out of work due to “long-term sickness” doubling since 2010.

In its analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics, the party said that in 2010-11, there were 116,000 16 to 24-year-olds out of work or not looking for employment due to long-term sickness.

The figure for the whole of Britain is now 235,000.