Sir Keir Starmer could make another U-turn on Labour’s manifesto pledge to pay young people the same national minimum wage as older workers. The party had promised to “remove the discriminatory age bands” in the minimum wage system.

But the Government is reportedly reviewing the plans amid fears firms could be put off from hiring youngsters. It comes as new official figures show almost one in six 18 to 24-year-olds are out of work, which is the highest level in more than a decade.

A government source told The Times that the rising youth unemployment figures had “strengthened the case for a rethink”.

They added: “There is no point increasing minimum pay for young workers if they haven’t got jobs to go to.”

But Cabinet minister Jo Stevens today insisted that the Government’s plan to equalise the minimum wage between younger and older workers “has not changed” in an interview with Sky News.

It comes as the Prime Minister is set to make his first public appearance today since the latest U-turn on postponed local elections.

Thirty English council polls had been postponed as part of Labour’s reorganisation of local government.

But the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Monday reinstated the ballots amid a legal challenge by Reform UK.

It is the 15th U-turn during Sir Keir’s less than two years in 10 Downing Street.

Other climbdowns include rowing back on the deeply unpopular decision to scrap winter fuel payments for most pensioners and watering down the inheritance tax raid on farmers.

The PM is due in Wales, where Labour faces being ousted from power for the first time in history.