Can youth leaders make politics work for young people?
- Text by Alex King
Across Europe, austerity programmes and spending cuts have fallen hardest on young people. High levels of youth unemployment have led to unprecedented youth migration in search of work and opportunities. Unless the balance of power shifts, governments seem likely to continue viewing cuts that affect young people as soft targets and failing to invest in future generations.
But will the UK’s forthcoming general election offer an opportunity to change this? Despite huge efforts to increase participation, youth voter registration still lags behind the rest of the population. Four-fifths of British young people are politically engaged but are still struggling to make their voices heard in mainstream politics.
Shout Out UK, a youth-run independent media platform, have teamed up with Channel 4 to present the first youth leaders debate on Tuesday April 28 – watch it online from 8pm. Young representatives from each of the seven major British political parties will go head-to-head to discuss the political issues that matter to young people.
“I am 22 and for my generation this is an important event, for the first time in Britain, we are actively able to hear the political debate from a young person’s perspective,” explains Shout Out founder Matteo Bergamini. “We have the power to speak our mind. It is our right, as well as our duty to demand a better future.”
The youth leaders will be discussing major themes of the mainstream election campaign, but also issues that are particularly important to young people, like education and housing.
Are Britain’s youth political leaders in touch with the issues that matter to young people? Do they have have the answers to the issues we face? And can they fight for politicians to take young people’s needs seriously? Tune in to the debate to find out.
Britain’s first Youth Leaders’ Debate takes place on Tuesday April 28 and will be available to watch online at All4 from 8pm.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As salmon farming booms, Icelanders size up an existential threat
Seyðisfjörður — The industry has seen huge growth in recent years, with millions of fish being farmed in the Atlantic Ocean. But who benefits from its commercial success, and what does it mean for the ocean? Phil Young ventures to the remote country to find out.
Written by: Phil Young
Activists hack London billboards to call out big tech harm
Tax Big Tech: With UK youth mental health services under strain, guerrilla billboards across the capital accuse social media companies of profiting from a growing crisis.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: The boys of the Bibby Stockholm
Bibby Boys — A new exhibition by Theo McInnes and Thomas Ralph documents the men who lived on the three-story barge in Dorset, giving them the chance to control their own narrative.
Written by: Thomas Ralph
‘We’re going to stop you’: House Against Hate tap Ben UFO, Greentea Peng and Shygirl for anti-far right protest
R3 Soundsystem — It takes place on March 28 in London’s Trafalgar Square, with a huge line-up of DJs, artists and crews named on the line-up.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: Lebanon’s women against a backdrop of war
Where Do I Go? لوين روح — As war breaks out in the Middle East once again, we spotlight Rania Matar’s powerful new photobook, which empowers women of her home country through portraiture.
Written by: Miss Rosen
