Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News

MYP urges young to step up and make their mark

- BY OLIVER CLAY oliver.clay@trinitymir­ror.com @OliverClay­RWWN

HALTON’S Member For Youth Parliament (MYP) Thomas Norris is taking part in the country’s largest consultati­on of young people and has urged other under-18s in Run- corn and Widnes to do the same.

The poll will run until Wednesday, October 5, and asks teenagers and children what issues matter most to them to determine what is debated by the UK Youth Parliament in the House Of Commons in November.

Voting takes place online and through ballot papers issued in schools and youth centres.

Ten topics will be available to choose from on the initial ‘Make Your Mark’ ballot paper, with the five most popular subjects among young people going on to be discussed by MYPs in their November debate, chaired by the Speaker Of The House Of Commons, John Bercow MP, and broadcast live on BBC Parliament.

Last year, the Make Your Mark ballot surveyed the opinions of more than 970,000 people, making it the largest youth consultati­on of its kind in the UK.

Thomas, 18, will be working with Halton Youth Cabinet to run the Make Your Mark campaign locally.

He said: “Make Your Mark is the biggest youth consultati­on ever in the UK and across the country over one million young people will be getting involved.

“Now I need schools, colleges and youth groups across the borough to help make sure that the young people of Halton get their voice heard.

“In November I will be going to the House Of Commons to take part in debates about the top five Make Your Mark topics.

“One of these topics will go on to form our national campaign for the next year.

“I want to make sure that Halton’s young people have every chance to shape the debates and I want each and every young person to Make Your Mark!”

 ??  ?? Halton’s MYP, Thomas Norris, is calling on young people to take part in the annual Make Your Mark referendum
Halton’s MYP, Thomas Norris, is calling on young people to take part in the annual Make Your Mark referendum

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