Teenagers to run as councillors

The age for candidacy has been lowered to 18-years-old

Teenagers are among those running for seats on their local council, after the candidacy age was lowered from 21.

Thirteen English councils have candidates aged 18 to 21 standing in the 3 May elections, following changes to the Electoral Administration Act.

Democracy Minister Bridget Prentice said the aim was to get more young people involved in politics.

The lower age, which applies to England and Wales, also covers those who want to be an MP, or mayor of London.

Ms Prentice said she had met more than 250 young people and visited 17 youth groups over 12 months, to try to encourage youngsters.

Citizenship hope

She said: "Young people take on a number of rights and responsibilities at 18, including being eligible for jury service, and there is no reason why they should not also be able to stand as candidates in elections."

She said lowering the age to 18 would foster "a greater sense of citizenship."

Currently the youngest councillor is Dan Shortland, who was elected to South Somerset District Council in a by-election last October, aged 21.

I really believe that politics isn't portrayed right - it's not really portrayed in school, it's not talked about Harriet Thomson

According to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, candidates aged 18 to 21 are registered to stand in the May elections in areas including Manchester, Stratford upon Avon, Waveney, Poole, Barrow, Southampton, Oldham, Lancaster, West Oxfordshire, Runnymede, Flyde, Harlow and Bournemouth.

Eighteen-year-old Harriet Thomson is running for the Liberal Democrats.

Ms Thomson, who is doing her A-Levels, has been involved in youth politics in Lincolnshire, and hopes to become an MP one day.

Young and old

She will also be running alongside her mother Linda - a parish councillor who is standing for another district council seat.

She said she would like to see more young people involved in politics.

"I really believe that politics isn't portrayed right - it's not really portrayed in school, it's not talked about, "she told the BBC News website.

Eric Pickles, the Conservative local government spokesman, said he believed at least one of their candidates for the 3 May elections had just turned 18.

Labour also has several young candidates - including 19-year-old Morgan Rees, chairman of Durham University's Labour club.

Low turnout

The age was reviewed after low turnouts among youngsters at the 2001 general election - only 39% of 18- to 21-year-olds voted, the lowest percentage of any eligible age group.

Moves to lower the voting age even further - from 18 to 16 - were rejected by the Electoral Commission.

The new candidacy age, which came into force last July, applies to local authority elections, as well as those to the House of Commons, the London Assembly and the London mayoral election.

The youngest MP elected at the last general election in 2005 was Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson, who won her seat aged 25.