Sixth Formers Have Their Say

8.16.23pm GMT Mon 22nd Jan 2007

Sixth form students from schools and colleges across Worcestershire, who took part in a survey of young people's views on politics as part of Local Democracy Week, are having their say.

The students completed surveys devised by West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt, to find out young people's views and the results have thrown up some surprising results.

Just over half sixth formers questioned thought that sixteen-year-olds should get the vote. Fifty-four per cent said yes and 45% disagreed, but two thirds agreed that the voting system should be changed so that the amount of MPs a party receives more accurately reflects how many votes they get.

On jobs and housing, Nearly half the young people questioned wanted to own their own home by the time they were 25, but 74% thought that local house prices were too high and 77% wanted more affordable housing built in the county. Sixty per cent thought they would earn between £12,000 and £23,000 a year after training, whereas the average wage in West Worcestershire is currently just under £20,000, but 63% thought that they would have to move away from Worcestershire to pursue their careers.

On nuclear policy, two thirds said that Britain should not replace Trident with new nuclear missiles, but opinion was split on whether or not a new generation of nuclear power stations should be developed, with many undecided.

On the environment, just over half thought the government was taking global climate change seriously enough, but a massive 83% approved of the Liberal Democrat "Green Tax Switch" policy - taxing those who pollute most to help reduce CO2 emissions, and using the money raised to reduce income tax.

Seventy per cent believed in the principle of fair trade against 30% who supported free trade, and 74% said that trade should be governed by rules agreed internationally. Students were similarly in favour of more restrictions of arms sales to foreign governments, and 84% wanted government to scrap arms export guarantees to secure arms deals.

On Iraq, 76% thought the invasion of Iraq was wrong, and 88% said that Tony Blair should be more critical of American foreign policy under President George Bush.

"These responses show that you cannot simply categorise young people's views in any way. They are optimistic in outlook, but realistic in interpreting their own life opportunities and experiences. They have their own moral compass which many world weary and cynical adults would do well to listen to," said Richard Burt