By Community Correspondent Benjamin Cook

With the general election due on or before the 3rd of June, election fever has gripped the country and the hopeful candidates have pushed their election campaigns into full swing.

However, is their message getting across to the youth of the country or the youth of Sutton? Many of these young people will be voting for the first time this year or will be of age to by the time of the next general election and the results will shape their future.

When questioned, only 21 of 40 people under the age of 19 knew that the Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam was a Liberal Democrat candidate. The other 19 asked stated that they did not know what party their local MP belonged to.

Is this lack of knowledge due to the stereotypical view of teenagers having a general disinterest in politics? Or is it due to being overlooked and ignored by the Government for too long? When asked some of the 19 people unaware of local politics many said they “did not care to know” whilst others stated that they “felt politics did not effect them at this point.”

Mr Marlow, a Government and Politics teacher at Wallington County Grammar School said that in his experience, “Young people feel that politics is completely alien to them and are actively dismissive of it. However, some are engaged by the effects of politics but not so much how it works.” This demonstrates the division of views in young people. Many do dismiss politics, perhaps due to alienation or upbringing or perhaps they just have no interest. On the other hand, many do get involved for example many try to be elected to represent Sutton in the Youth Parliament or are involved in young party groups. So perhaps the politicians are getting through to the young or at the very least some of them.

As Mr Marlow also said that “It works two ways, the government has not engaged young people but young people need to get more involved.”