Young people are increasingly stepping up to contest local council seats, driven by a belief that their generation deserves a stronger voice in local government. With the May elections approaching, candidates as young as 19 are vying for positions, hoping to bring fresh perspectives and address issues that matter to their peers.
The Push for Youth Representation
Dylan Law, a 20-year-old Green Party candidate for Hackney Downs, emphasises the need for age diversity in politics. 'I think it's important that the makeup of politics isn't retirees only,' he says. Law, who could become Hackney's next deputy mayor, notes that much of his support comes from older residents who have seen previous politicians fail. 'Most of my support comes from people who are 30, 40, 50 years old, people who have seen previous politicians fail, and are willing to see what I'm doing.'
The 2022 Councillors' Census revealed that only 16 per cent of English councillors are under 45, but the number of councillors under 25 has surged by 76 per cent since 2018, reaching 189. This trend aligns with a broader movement, as Young Greens membership has exceeded 50,000.
Electoral Landscape
As the May elections draw near, Labour faces potential losses. A YouGov MRP poll for Sky News and Politico projects the worst result for Sir Keir Starmer's party in London since the 1970s. The Green Party and Reform UK are poised to make significant gains, with the Greens topping the vote share in four councils and Reform in three—neither party has ever led a London council. Nationally, YouGov finds that 36 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds would vote Green in a general election, compared to 24 per cent for Labour, 9 per cent for the Conservatives, and 6 per cent for Reform.
Young Candidates on the Ground
Sarata Sawo, 22, is the Labour and Co-operative Party candidate for Hunslet and Riverside in Leeds. She highlights the lack of awareness about local politics among young people. 'A lot of people aren’t aware of local politics… a lot of them don't understand how much councils have an impact on your everyday life.' Her campaign has inspired more young people to engage with politics. 'We definitely need to be at the table and have a say on choices being made that are impacting all of us.'
Ciara Alleyne, 22, the Green Party candidate for Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction, hears from young voters who are 'fed up with decisions being made on our behalf without us actually having a seat at the table.' She stresses, 'We don't want to be shouting from the outside in order for our interests to be represented. I think it's really important that young people are seeing other young people in these positions.'
Expert Insights
Polling expert Lord Robert Hayward suggests younger voters are more inclined to support candidates of a similar age. 'They’re better at using social media… they may use phraseology and turn to issues which matter to younger people.' He notes that young men tend to favour Reform UK, while young women lean towards the Greens. 'Younger people tend to hold their politics more strongly. If they’re participating, they're likely to be at one end of the spectrum or another.'
Challenges and Achievements
George Finch, 19, became the youngest council leader in British history last year when he took charge of Warwickshire County Council for Reform UK. He claims achievements such as limiting council tax rises to 3.89 per cent and launching a crime prevention programme. However, he recently survived a no-confidence vote called by Green group leader Jonathan Chilvers, who accused Finch of 'abusing the office of leader' and bringing the council into 'disrepute.' Finch dismisses the vote as a political stunt.
Despite the challenges, Finch believes young people can help councils better understand youth issues. 'Age is irrelevant, as I've said, as Nigel [Farage] has said, if you're good enough, you're old enough. If you can stand up in these rooms and fight the battle, if you can stand up and talk in front of councillors and speak to residents, if you can sit in the meetings with a business mind and have the knowledge of how to do things, how to communicate, how to fight every day for what's right and what the people want, then you've got it.'
The John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow found that 73 per cent of young people have engaged in political activity in the past year. As these young candidates campaign, they aim to turn that engagement into votes and representation.
