A group of five young candidates, all under the age of 30, are hoping to make a difference as they run in next month’s general election. Pedro Da Conceicao, 18, is running as an independent in west London and is thought to be the youngest candidate in the election. He decided to run to be an MP when the general election was called at the end of May. Born in Portugal, Pedro was motivated to stand due to the under-representation of young people in Parliament.
Luke Allan Holmes, the 21-year-old Conservative candidate, has also faced criticism online due to his young age. Growing up in County Durham, Luke says he was driven to become an MP after seeing his area taken for granted by Labour politicians. Martha O’Neil, the 26-year-old Labour candidate, is standing in a new Welsh seat. Raised by her mum after her dad died when she was 10, Martha was inspired to get into politics after her family’s reliance on state support.
Ross Clark, 23, a sports coaching student, became interested in politics during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and was elected the youngest member of South Lanarkshire Council when he was 21. He’s now standing in a Scottish National Party seat. Rebecca Jones, who has just finished her degree in politics, is standing for the Liberal Democrats. She’s keen to see maintenance grants brought back for students and action taken to tackle unaffordable rents.
Although their ages have led to criticism from some, these young candidates are still determined to make a difference in politics. Political journalist Michael Crick believes it’s possible more young candidates could be elected this time around, with many new faces expected in Parliament due to experienced MPs standing down. While facing challenges and criticism, these young candidates are hoping to inspire others to become involved in politics
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