At the start of the election campaign our media became littered with articles lamenting the disillusioned young and their refusal to engage in politics. However in the past few weeks it does seem, more so than ever before, this election has really sparked the interest of young people. My youngest sister Lily Rose has been borderline obsessed with the election.
When I thought she was bored and texting her friends in front of the TV, she's actually been live tweeting her views on the televised debates. And instead of showing me videos on youtube of cats falling into bins, she's bombarded me with the latest party political broadcasts and her thoughts on their execution. On top of all this it turns out instead of updating her instagram, she has deeply studied each major party's manifesto and has fully formed opinions on each major policy.
Her school has helped spark this interest by running their own 'election' on polling day where Lily and her schoolmates get to cast their own 'vote'. I wish my school had done this, I reckon it would've helped me become more politically aware at a younger age. Recent media coverage featuring the likes of Labour-mad Abby, shows that the next generation do care about politics and are engaged with the world around them... much more than we give them credit for.
In case you're still wondering who to vote for this Thursday, I asked Lily to send me a rundown of each party's campaign as, who better to help sway your vote than a 12-year-old who is entrusting us to vote in the right government on her behalf.
A 12 year old's guide to Election 2015
#richpeopleproblems
Let's start with the Conservatives. They want to cut taxes and they are basically on the richer and middle class side. They believe that the middle class should keep more of their hard earned money and are basically very right wing. They want to privatise the NHS, they may raise university tuition fees and don't believe in mansion tax. I personally would not like the Conservatives to be in power. I believe that David Cameron is stuck up and he was very weak in the debates, especially in the one on BBC question time and he was avoiding questions and squirming under the pressure. Also he strongly believes that he will get a majority but I'm not sure that they will but obviously they will get many seats as Labour yet the Conservatives are the favourites.
#milibaes
Labour is a very left wing party. They want to raise taxes for the rich, have mansion tax and lower tuition fees. I believe that mansion tax is a good thing because if you're rich enough to own a house over 2 million, then you are rich enough to pay just a little bit extra to benefit the less fortunate. It isn't right that a little old man who lives on his own and is struggling to afford to pay for everything, pays the same amount of tax as a rich family who have five houses in Barbados. Although I think that the Labour party are a little too unrealistic as remember the last time Labour was in government? Ed Miliband has been strong in the debates and I believe he would make a good prime minister; I'd much prefer him to Cameron!
#cleggers
Moving on to the smaller parties, the Liberal Democrats are a balance between right wing and left wing but they lean more left than right. Their beliefs are similar to Labour except more realistic. The Lib Dems believe that everyone should be equal, and I believe that too. As for Nick Clegg he is not a strong leader but he wasn't too bad in the debates. His party stands for all the right things so the Liberal Democrats are one of my favourite political parties.
#partypoliticalbroadcastwinners
Next the Green party, which is full of lunatics and great party political broadcast script writers. The best party political broadcast I have ever seen! It's just so funny! But I don't believe in what the party stands for as their policies are a bit messed up but I like Natalie Bennett as she was great in the debates. She sounds like she knows what she's talking about whereas most of the other leaders don't.
#disaster
The SNP, the party that believes in breaking up UK; although Nicola Sturgeon is the best leader in history, the strongest debater who stands up to the bigger parties and fiercely shows them what she's made of, it would be a disaster is the SNP got into government. They don't care about us, they only care about Scotland! And really, another referendum? The Scots already said no so leave it!
#no
Last and probably least we have UKIP. The party that 'believes in Britain', more like believes in getting Britain bankrupt and destroying everyone's lives. Nigel Farage seems to believe that immigrants cause all problems. Pfft, he's married to a German for god's sake! Ugh he repulses me. The UKIP party political broadcast is extremely stupid as well. All in all I will not be voting UKIP. Ever.