News story

6th February 2002

Teenagers Get Up at 5am - To Talk About Politics!

Teenagers from five South Gloucestershire secondary schools have put the lie to the notion that young people are not interested in politics. Yesterday (Tuesday 5th) 140 sixth formers from the Castle School, Marlwood, Chipping Sodbury, King Edmunds and Brimsham Park schools joined over two thousand other young people for a day at Westminster at the invitation of Northavon MP Steve Webb. The sixth formers heard speeches by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Conservative leader Iain Duncan-Smith and Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy and had chance to put questions to the party leaders. Some had tours of the Houses of Parliament or sat in the gallery for question time, while others joined discussions on subjects ranging from the monarchy and the Euro to the future of education policy.

The trip meant an early start, with coaches leaving from 5.30am, but the group was the largest from any constituency in the country and the largest ever sent to this annual event from South Gloucestershire. The young people said that they had enjoyed hearing from the party leaders and having the chance to see something of how parliament works.

Commenting on the event, Steve Webb said:

“I was delighted that so many young people from local schools were able to come to Westminster and have chance to grill the party leaders. I often
find that when young people start to learn more about how government works they become more interested and start to see that it is relevant to them. I hope that through days such as this we can reconnect with younger voters and encourage them to take a fuller part in the political process”.


*** ENDS ***