Local MP Speaks Out on the Role of Young People in Local Decision Making

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 16th Oct 2003

As part of Local Democracy Week, Annette Brooke MP spoke up for young people's rights in a panel discussion in the House of Commons, organised this week by the British Youth Council.

The question and answer session involving about 150 young people from across the country, was initiated to involve teenagers in politics and to introduce some of them for the first time to MPs and the world of parliament.

Lib Dem MP Annette Brooke, a former teacher and local councillor, answered demanding questions from the floor on a range of issues affecting young people including transport, the environment and participation in local decision making.

Welcoming the British Youth Council's meeting, she said:

"I am really encouraged by the introduction of citizenship lessons in schools and initiatives like this that get younger people interested in and engaged in current affairs and local matters.

"There are so many issues that affect young people today, it is important that they feel informed and involved in decisions that impact them, and that we provide the forums for them to get interested and involved."

As the only woman on the panel, she welcomed the number of girls present and said she hoped that they too would get involved in local Youth Forums or Youth Councils organised by local councils.

Visiting schools almost on a weekly basis, and holding meetings regularly with teenagers and the Poole Youth Council, Annette Brooke works very hard to encourage young people to take an interest in current affairs.

Regular visits by local schools to the House of Commons and discussions with the new Liberal Democrat MP in Dorset help young people to connect with decision makers and to dispel the image of MPs being 'middle aged men in dark suits', and far removed from real life which puts so many people off politics.