Downing Street reception

Last month I was invited by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to 10 Downing Street along with 16 year old Southfields resident Xavier Attwell.

The reception was for the Prime Minister to meet teenagers from around the country to find out their priorities as they approach A-levels, apprenticeships or the world of work.

It's a well-documented problem that younger people are much less likely to vote and feel engaged by our political process than older people. And the problem has become much worse in recent years. While very few teenagers like Xavier get to meet the Prime Minister personally and tell him what they think, these events do at least keep the government listening to the concerns and aspirations of the next generation of citizens.

Locally, I also take the views of younger constituents seriously. I send all 18 year olds in Putney, Roehampton and Southfields a congratulatory card on their birthday, along with a survey seeking their views, which they can also fill out online. Last Autumn I took the chance of talking to sixth formers at Putney High School about local political issues and how I got involved in politics - and I'm hoping to set up similar visits with the other secondary schools in the constituency shortly.