A Hopeman teenager has become one of a select group of just 200 18-24 year olds drawn from throughout the UK who are taking part in the BBC’s output in the run up to the General Election in May.
18-year-old Craig Stewart-Toner will contribute to national and regional programming for the broadcaster – with many of those selected having already found themselves taking part in such as Newsnight, The Jeremy Vine Show and The One Show.
‘Generation 2015’ is a cohort of young voters drawn from communities in every corner of the country – with the final 200 selected from thousands of applicants.
David Stenhouse, who is leading the Generation 2015 project for the BBC, said: “Young people want to be heard and Generation 2015 is an opportunity for 18-24 year-olds to be heard on BBC TV, Radio and Online, discussing the issues that affect them.
“The BBC is bringing a diverse range of young voices to the heart of UK debate and the 200 extraordinary voices in Generation 2015 will allow the BBC to tell the story of the General Election in greater depth than ever before.”
Craig’s ambitions are to become a commercial pilot rather than a career in politics, but he has always retained a keen interest in Parliamentary issues from a young age.
He said: “I was one of the thousands of people who became active in politics last year during the referendum campaign. It was an unforgettable experience.
“If I was Prime Minister today I’d focus on getting employment for as many young people as possible and help them explore career opportunities that are not available in our region.”