Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has called a General Election for July 4th 2024. NYAS welcomes this announcement and looks forward to working with the next UK Government to make sure that children and young people are at the heart of it.
Alongside other leading children’s charities, NYAS has supported the ‘Children at the Table’ campaign which was launched ahead of an upcoming election to make sure that the next UK Government has a plan to make decisions for babies, children, and young people with children at the table.
What does an election mean?
A General Election is an opportunity for people in the UK to have their say on who they want to see run the next Government. Now that the election has been announced, Parliament will be dissolved on and all business across both Houses will come to an end. Members of Parliament (MPs) will also stop sitting as MPs allowing for the election period to begin. (There will also be a ‘wash up’ period, which means that the current Government will decide what legislation can be passed into law before the election period begins.)
Political parties in the UK will shortly start their election campaigning and publish their manifestos which will outline their vision for what they will do if they are elected as the next UK Government.
What does NYAS want to see?
NYAS will always empower the voice of children and young people. We want to make sure that the next UK Government are committed to children and young people, making sure every child and young person is given every opportunity to thrive and enjoy their childhoods.
We will shortly be releasing our calls for the next UK Government that we feel are critical to advancing children’s rights. We encourage every political party to demonstrate their commitment to these objectives, recognising that they form the very foundation upon which a safe, stable, and loving future for children and young people must be built.
How to vote?
To vote in the next UK election, you must be registered. If you live in England or Northern Ireland, you must be 16 years old or older to vote, and in Wales or Scotland, you must be 14 years old or older to vote.
Once you are registered to vote, you can either vote by post ahead of the election, have someone else vote for you or visit a polling station on election day to vote in person. To vote in person, you will have to bring a form of ID with you.
If you or someone you know has worries about the next general election, you can call the NYAS helpline for support on 0800 808 1001.
