Young people are widely assumed to be disinterested in politics. While more of them may have voted in last year's EU referendum than was originally assumed, it's true that many young people could use a little push to get them to the ballot box.
Parliament has risen to the challenge, offering 18 to 24-year-olds a little incentive to convince more of them to vote in the snap election on the 8th June. Alas, they won't be gifted a new iPhone or a pair of Nike Air Max, but they will qualify for a free tour of the Houses of Parliament. The lucky devils.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
A guided tour of the House of Commons, House of Lords and Westminster Hall usually costs up to £28. During the tour they'll see inside the debating chambers and voting lobbies of both houses, and will be given the opportunity to register to vote with help from parliamentary staff.
“We hope that young people from all over the UK will take this opportunity to visit Parliament and play their part in the democratic process as a result," said House of Commons clerk David Natzler.
Tours will be taking place from Monday to Saturday between 11th and 20th May, and from Wednesday to Saturday between 25th May and 3rd June.
If you're interested in going, you'll still need to book a ticket (either online, by calling +44 (0)20 7219 4114, or in person from the ticket office), and will need to show proof of your age.
Recent government figures suggested that 390,000 people under 25 have registered to vote since Theresa May announced the snap election – an impressive 42% of the total number so far.
However, there are still fears that students could be the most under-represented group in the election. Campaign group Hope Not Hate last week warned that students may miss out on the chance to vote because they don't know whether they should register at home or at university, the Huffington Post reported.
If you haven't yet registered to vote, you have until 22nd May. It really does take less than five minutes and can be done here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT