Since 1997 there have been a number of improvements in the opportunities available to young people. More young people than ever before are staying in education after the age of 16 as access to further and higher education has widened. With regard to the political system itself the Labour government have introduced the right for young people to stand in local elections, encouraging young people to take part in the political process.

The New Year sees the launch of the Labour Students society at the University of Portsmouth Student Union. Labour Students is an organisation that campaigns for equality, democracy and social justice. We believe that young people’s voices matter and that young people should be at the heart of the political process – young people are the leaders of tomorrow. At present young people are grossly under-represented in politics at all levels and many young people simply claim they don’t care about the political process. The reality behind this viewpoint is that the political process has simply failed to engage with young people – and this is a key issue that Labour Students sets out to tackle.

Labour Students recognises that the government’s task is far from completed on higher and further education, and that we must go further to get more young people to carry on in education after school. Good education should be the right of the many, not the privileged few.

Education and political representation are not the only areas that the Labour Students society will be campaigning in, action in Darfur, human rights in Zimbabwe, action on climate change, social equality and many others will be at the heart of the society’s activities, not to mention countering David Cameron and his ‘new look’ Tory party. We will also be organising debates and talks involving guest speakers from the Labour Party and other organisations. ‘Question time’ style debates are also planned involving not just Labour but a broad spectrum of other political parties as well.

Look out for one of our stalls at the re-fresher’s fayre on the 13^th Feb, the society’s takeover event on the 23^rd Feb and around and about the union building during the week. To join the society or just for more info about who we are and what we stand for email me at: m.ireland@hotmail.com