Teenagers to join debate in Commons

Chelsea Goulding, 17, and Pegah Moulana, 16, from Barnsley, will join the debate on Friday on the UK Youth Parliament’s priorities.

The UK Youth Parliament is used as a way of giving young people a voice and encouraging interest in the political process with elections taking place in each local authority to choose representatives.

Friday’s debate, which marks the start of Parliament Week, will be chaired by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow and broadcast live on the BBC’s Parliament channel.

Tim Cheetham, Barnsley Council’s cabinet spokesman for children, young People and families, said: “It’s tremendous that Chelsea Goulding and Pegah Moulana will represent Barnsley at this key event in the UK Youth Parliament calendar.”

At the end of the debate, members of the youth parliament will choose the two subjects of their national campaigns for 2014.