BYC focuses on boosting youth vote in Euro poll

Marc Kidson said policies and their implications are often discussed by politicians in a way that targets an older audience because they vote in greater numbers than young adults.

He wants as many young people as possible to cast their ballot in the local and European elections on Thursday in order to increase the youth vote.

But Kidson believes MPs and local councillors will view their policies differently and be more youth-focused if more 18- to 24-year-olds play a more active part in democracy.

He said: “I don’t think any politician goes into politics to disadvantage young people but I think the political arithmetic is inevitable and there’s almost an unintentional outcome that young people’s issues aren’t discussed and invested in in the same way.

“One of the things we often see is, not so much youth issues, but big issues the country faces that have big implications for young people.

“Unemployment, for example, looks different for young people, such as graduates, than it does for people who become unemployed in later life."

Transport is another issue where young people's needs – such as travelling to college, university or a job interview – will differ to that of the adult population, Kidson added.

“These issues are discussed in a way that targets the median audience and alienates young people,” he said.

The BYC chairs a coalition of youth organisations that have been working to increase the turnout of young voters at the local and European elections. The League of Young Voters has been campaigning on the issue since March.