Members of Youth Parliament head to the House of Commons
Monday, 7 April 2025
Members of Central Bedfordshire’s Youth Parliament headed to the House of Commons to join a debate with the wider UK Youth Parliament.
Olivia, 16, and Zory, 15, joined around 250 Youth Parliament representatives from across the UK to decide the priority campaign for the wider UK Youth Parliament. They debated five issues that had been shortlisted which included the voting age, living wage, public transport, political literacy and period dignity.
The proceedings were chaired by the Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle, with opening remarks from the Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Rushanara Ali MP, and Jesse Norman MP.
Zory said:
It was very, very good as you’ve seen the House of Commons on TV, and it’s very, very cool to actually be in it and to be debating in the chamber.
Olivia said:
I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to speak on lowering the voting age, and I was able to help the debate by giving my views.
Councillor Steve Owen, our Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:
It's so important for young people to speak up and get involved in politics because the decisions being made today will shape their future. Seeing Olivia and Zory joining the debate in the House of Commons shows just how much young voices matter, and it a great opportunity for them to learn more about politics. It's fantastic to see young people taking an active role to make a difference.
The UK Youth Parliament was established in 1999 to provide opportunities for young people to influence the parliamentary process. Find out more about the Central Bedfordshire Youth Parliament on Facebook.