The UK government has been accused of contributing to the youth unemployment crisis after quietly dropping a target aimed at clearing the backlog of practical driving tests, according to reports. The move is politically awkward for Andy Burnham, coming just ahead of a wider announcement on joblessness, and critics say it undermines efforts to help young people get into work, since a driving test backlog can delay newly qualified drivers from taking jobs that require them to drive.

The full detail of the scrapped target and the reasoning behind its removal was not available in the source material provided, beyond the headline claim that it had been dropped "quietly". The story sits alongside other recent criticism of Burnham, including separate accusations over a proposed social care funding measure and reported unease within Labour's own ranks over a crackdown on youth benefits.