Election sparks interest from the young

A politics student who will turn 18 the day before the General Election is urging other young people to make their vote count.

Jack Thompson, 17, of Radley Road, Halam, is studying A-level politics in the sixth form at The Minster School, Southwell.

The first-time voter is so keen to be involved in the election that he has volunteered to help at the count for the Newark seat at Kelham Hall on May 6.

He said he wanted to be part of the action in an event he felt was extremely important.

Jack first became interested in politics after meeting the chairman of a London borough council about three years ago while staying with a friend in the city.

He was offered work experience with the council and saw first hand the workings of local politics. That led him to take an A-level in politics. He is also studying English literature and history.

Jack said the profile of politics had risen in recent years with the election of Barack Obama as US President and the MPs expenses scandal.

He said the digital age had brought politicians’ lives under scrutiny and noted that both Gordon Brown and David Cameron had appeared on chat shows recently.

“They are on our televisions all the time. It is hard to miss them,” he said.

Jack is a Conservative supporter and receives regular newsletters and correspondence from leading members of the party.

But Jack has not walked blindly into his choice. In fact, he used to support the Liberal Democrats.

He said as he looked at the policies of the various parties he found the Conservative Party was more in line with his own beliefs.

Jack said he was worried that young people would waste their vote by not carefully considering who they should vote for.

“I urge young people to really think about it,” he said.

Jack said young people should not vote simply to get rid of the Government.

He said whoever was voted into power, the country needed a strong Government to keep it going rather than one with a small majority or a hung Parliament.