‘Go to work, pay tax, pay thousands for your university education - maybe even sacrifice your life serving our country in the Armed Forces – but you can’t have a vote.’ As adults, we would not accept this.

Yet, that’s effectively what the UK is still saying to young people – who have experienced some of the hardest political and social times in recent history. And that's why Labour is introducing the right to vote for people aged 16 and 17.

We must stop the situation where some older generations apply an ‘I’m alright, Jack’ attitude – a gerontocracy where older people call the shots and young people are passengers - effectively supporting huge inequality.

It's even more unjust when you consider that young people today have faced myriad, unprecedented challenges. Their development was blighted by COVID, and they never had a say on Brexit. House prices are up to eight times higher than the average salary, compared with four or five in the past. There’s a cost of living crisis, and we have a serious ‘brain drain’ where young people in Cornwall feel they have no choice but to leave in order to further their careers.

I am proud to support Labour’s plan to address this unfairness. We must respect young people and give them a renewed sense of agency over their own lives. Without real action, we’re going to see the continued ‘brain drain’ out of Cornwall.

As well as voting rights, the Government is developing a new youth strategy, which will prioritise delivering better coordinated youth services and policy at all levels of policy and decision making.

We know that young people should be at the heart of this new strategy, which is why we’re carrying out one of the largest ever national consultations with them.

In that spirit, I am inviting young people aged 16 to 30 to meet me and discuss whatever is on their minds. I will be running two meet and greet sessions in St Austell and Newquay on Friday, March 7, and Friday, March 14, from 5pm to 7pm. These events will be a fantastic opportunity to meet other engaged younger people from across our communities, as well as get to know me and the work I do for you in Westminster. 

If you are interested in attending, register at bit.ly/noahlawyouth

For me, this is personal. Last July, I was one of just 20 MPs under 30 to be elected - in a part of the world where young people don't always get the look in they should in political life. I have not forgotten my pledge to put young people at the heart of what I do in St Austell and Newquay. 

There’s a lot to do. But a natural first step is to actually listen to young people and I hope as many as possible come to meet me and get their voices heard. Without adequate human capital, rural regions face significant hurdles in competing economically and socially with their urban counterparts.

Noah Law, Labour MP for St Austell and Newquay