Ed Miliband’s call to students to make sure they are registered to vote has been echoed by a Labour Parliamentary candidate for Manchester.
Jeff Smith, the Labour candidate for Manchester Withington at this year’s upcoming general election, believes more young people need to be engaged with for the election.
More than a million people have been lost from the electoral register due to government reforms in the last 12 months and many of these have been in student areas such as Withington.
Mr Smith said: “More than ever young people need to have their say. I think young people have been let down by this government.
“We need to make sure people are engaged with the political process.”
Ed Miliband will today say in a speech at Sheffield Hallam University Students’ Union that this is the year when young voters are able not only to hold leaders to account for broken promises but also begin to shape a better future for their generation.
Mr Smith revealed that more than 7,000 people had been lost from the electoral register between December and January in Withington and many of these in the big student areas.
“It’s a scandal that young people are being disenfranchised by the new regime,” said Mr Smith.
“It’s vital that they get to have their say in May. Labour want to give young people a voice, and our Young Britain Manifesto will address the issues young people tell us are important to them.”
Currently a councillor for the Old Moat Ward in Withington, Mr Smith is urging young people to vote, even if not for Labour.
He said: “The first thing I would say to young people is make sure you vote, no matter who for.
“I obviously think Labour is the party which is going to deliver for young people. We think we have a set of policies that will deliver for young people.”
In Manchester Withington a campaign is being launched to sign-up young people who aren’t registered to vote ahead of the election in May.
Image courtesy of The Electoral Commission, via FlickR, with thanks.
