A REDDITCH student is celebrating after being elected to represent the Worcestershire constituency in the UK Youth Parliament.

Glen Cordha, aged 16, from St Augustine’s Catholic High School said he was eager to take on the challenge.

He added: “I was really excited when I found out. It will mean quite a lot because I want to be an MP.

“That is what I want to be or something in that field. It will give me a real push.”

Glen has been hooked on politics for the last two years but said people don’t really understand his interest.

“It is just something which I like,” he said.

Elected representatives work with local councillors, organise events, run campaigns, make speeches, hold debates and express the views of young people.

Glen’s three main polices are to improve the education system, to advance partnerships between apprenticeships and investment in renewable resources in Worcestershire and promote multi-culturalism and community cohesion.

In the school’s newsletter, Glen said: “I want pupils to learn about important life skills such as financial skills, consequences of substance abuse and life into adulthood.

“Additionally, I want education to be a child’s right rather than a family lottery ticket. For too long has there been a divide between the elite classes in comparison to state education.

“England is by far the most integrated society on Earth and is a very tolerant society. Immigration has been a controversy over the past few years.

“There are both positives and negatives that we must recognise. However, along with celebrating multi-culturalism we must express our own culture.

“We must recognise our core British values such as, freedom of speech, values of democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty.”

To become member of youth parliament, candidates, aged between 11 and 18, create a manifesto with three policies to help young people and then fellow young people cast their votes based on the merit of these policies.

Members of Youth Parliament are elected annually in throughout the UK with elections generally take place between December and February each year.

Any young person who would like to put an issue to Glen can contact him at glencordha1999@gmail.com.