Votes at 16, an equal minimum wage for young people and New Deal reform are among the policies to be included in the Liberal Democrats' youth manifesto.

The document, revealed exclusively to Young People Now, will also seek to reduce the use of antisocial behaviour orders.

Matthew Green MP, the Liberal Democrats' youth spokesman, said the party's positive view of young people set it apart from Labour and the Conservatives.

"A lot of government policy displays young people as problems," he said.

"(But) the majority of young people don't cause problems - we need to be helping them and giving them the opportunity to grow as people."

If elected, the party would replace the New Deal for Young People with Individual Work Schemes that tailor support to the individual. The party also pledges to fight age discrimination at work and entitle everybody aged 16 and over to earn the same minimum wage.

The party would encourage the use of acceptable behaviour contracts rather than curfews or antisocial behaviour orders.