Policy & Practice: Numbers game Voting

Less than half would vote for one of the three main parties, while six per cent would vote for the British National Party. When it came to important issues, 36 per cent of first-time voters put climate change in their top three, but only nine per cent thought it was in the Government's top three.

Alex Markham, senior campaigns officer at The Electoral Commission, says young people are some of the least likely to vote. "Some may feel disillusioned with party politics and do not feel their vote makes a difference," she says. "But research also shows young people feel strongly about political issues that affect their lives. The key to turning younger people's negative perception of 'politics' around lies with politicians and political parties themselves." The Electoral Commission funds projects encouraging participation in the democratic process by young people outside formal education.