Everyone has to play their part

THESE are, as the ancient Chinese curse would have it, ‘interesting times’; for which it is often best to read troubling ones.

It is then a hugely positive thing to see young people at Stoke-on-trent Sixth Form College and Newcastleunder-lyme College taking part in a programme to encourage them to engage with politics.

There could be no better tribute to the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote – or more a timely reminder that democracy is kept alive through the active participation of citizens.

In a time when we are facing huge decisions about environmental policy, social care and how to sort out the confusion surrounding Brexit, we need an informed and engaged electorate more than ever.

Hopefully, the young people who take part will get to see that through politics it is possible to change things on a local, national and global level for the better.

As someone who has been active in local politics for nearly 20 years, I have seen this happen a firsthand.

As the former leader of my own party, Caroline Lucas, said in on Channel 4 on Sunday night, ‘politics is too important to be left to politicians’. We need everyone – young, old; left, right – everyone to play their part and work together for the common good. ADAM COLCLOUGH PENKHULL