For the UK Youth Parliament members who attended their inaugural gathering a few weeks ago at London's Cumberland Hotel, turning this usually sedate venue into a young, albeit more well-mannered version of the House of Commons wasn't a difficult task.
| I would like a real, not a tokenistic, voice. I hope the youth parliament makes up for the lack of a vote by having an input in issues that affect me. |
Take for example a committee who met to decide which education policies should be included in their first ever manifesto. While all members agreed that bullying needs to be addressed, there was major disagreement over just how to tackle its many different forms.
In what proved to be a fiery discussion, Katherine Ward MYP for Somerset argued strongly against the inclusion of a separate category to tackle racist bullying.
"If you're black and you're discriminated against, it's the same as being a woman and being discriminated against", said Ward after her committee took a well-earned break from proceedings. "Both are things that are completely non-optional, you're born that way."
Meanwhile the representative for Medway in Kent, Z. C. Rutter, took a different view - hardly surprising as it was his motion that was under scrutiny. "Racism at any level is illegal. We felt that any form of racism should be wiped out straight away and therefore you need a separate policy in order to do that", he explained.
The MYP for Kent thought racism was a more important issue than sexism. "It's becoming less of an issue these days now women have become more equal in society", he said. "A lot of people are becoming very racist so we felt that there should be a separate policy so people are punished for their racist views."
But Ward was not convinced. "They're saying it (racism) is illegal, well it's illegal to pay women less wages. It's illegal to do a hell of a lot of things. Also, it's blurring boundaries between free speech and being inflammatory. It's a messy issue all this discriminatory stuff and I feel like they should try and explain it a bit more clearly. I was confused more than anything."
Rose Harris, MYP for Buckinghamshire supported the motion but also felt the member for Medway hadn't explained himself adequately.
"Some people thought that (the proposal) wasn't phrased very well", said Harris. "Perhaps the proposal suggested that racism is a special cause all together and you'd have to treat it with kid gloves."
As the delegates returned to their conference rooms some members seemed tired by the relentless talking while others couldn't wait to get started again like Melanie MYP for Walsall.
"I just want to say the first ever sitting for the UKYP is a really good move towards getting something down and getting people's voices heard", she said. "Some people here are complaining, saying it's being run by adults, but I disagree totally.
"If there hadn't been an agenda there wouldn't have been a UKYP. It's up to us to set the next agenda and take responsibility for what we've been elected to do. I think it's really good and the future is bright. We're going to make it happen, not just for us but for future generations as well."
Not all members shared Melanie's excitement. Lee Bradshaw, 16, MYP for Lancashire was one delegate who could be heard complaining loudly to a fellow member as they finished off their refreshments.
"We had a vote a while ago for what is now the Ministry of Disabled and Social Inclusion", Bradshaw explained in between bites of biscuit. "Now, I'm not saying anything against the people who voted, but I felt they were voting for personalities rather than the ministry. If you are going to make a minister, why just make one, why not make a selection? That's what democracy supposed to be about - having a selection? That's what democracy supposed to be about - having a selection."
Still fired up from his meeting, Bradshaw admitted he'd received some, "really evil stares" for not voting, but with hindsight was glad he had stuck to his guns.
"I don't think minority youths have been represented enough", he continued. "The majority of people here are white and straight. I'm white and gay. I know many Asian and black people who are here and I think we should have our own body where we can discuss the issues we want to bring up. They are just as important as everybody else's but they won't get heard because we are in the minority."
But amid all the contention for one observer it must have felt like a busman's holiday. We caught up with James Arbuthnot MP, the Conservative Chief Whip and member for North East Hampshire as he left yet another heated debate - this time over the strong wording of a proposal about drugs and alcohol education.
The Tory grandee seemed to take it all in his stride. "I think it's great," said Arbuthnot. "Clearly there's a real buzz here with lots of young people really getting stuck into the issues that are important. They're doing all the work themselves. It's their first try so inevitably things will go wrong but these things can be built on over the years and I think its an extremely good development."
Asked what he hoped the MYP's would take away from the weekend the veteran MP explained he was worried about how young people had become disillusioned with politics and politicians.
"Fewer and fewer people are voting in all the elections we have," he continued. "I think this is partly because young people just don't think it's relevant to them. If we can listen to what young people actually want, and the things that are coming out this youth parliament today then maybe it will become more relevant."
Indeed, if this brief snapshot of a day in the life of the UKYP was anything go by, the real politicians will ignore the Youth Parliament at their peril.
About the team
This article was produced by Chris Ainoo, 17, Cindy Crome, 11 and Misha Cummins, 11. It was published in the Bolton Evening News.
