To think that election candidates should be at least my age, if not older?

[BertieBotts]

Just received my postal voting slip. I had assumed that the Labour candidate for my area was the same as the previous chap, who would have got my vote immediately, but it's not, so I did a quick google of all the candidates instead.

Discovered that the Green Party candidate is 22, and has a totally unconvincing video where she talks about being so excited to be in politics, but she's never actually voted even though she could (could she? Was she even old enough at the last election?) and that her hobbies are "clubbing and................ um............ going to the gym? Sometimes!" I mean, her enthusiasm is great and all, and she comes across as a real person rather than a polished faker, but

Is it usual for candidates to be so young and inexperienced? The Lib Dem one is 21 as well. Luckily the Labour one looks good and she's done a lot locally so it's a half decent option, but I was really shocked. It just seems almost like they're not taking it seriously?

I think some careers you should have life experience before being allowed to embark on. Politics being one of them

Politics is about representing the population.

If under 21s don't deserve to be represented we shouldn't be taxing them!

And then we wonder why young people aren't more interested in politics....

The painful moment is when you are older than the Prime Minister. Happened to me when Blair got the keys to Number Ten . . .

But I agree that they should have a previous career.

Our Green party candidate is 21.

He is a student.

There are 600odd MPs. The country's hardly going to disintegrate because a couple of students get in!

Do they not deserve representation?

Some 20/21 year olds will have plenty of life experience- years of working, couple of dcs, in own (not parents) home.

Not everyone follows the mc pattern of 18-21 uni then pg then starter job then rental then marriage then mortgage then dcs from 18-35.

We need more MPs who aren't identikits of each other!

Being young is not remotely the same as being gay or disabled. It's about life experience.

I do take the point about young people being represented in Parliament, though.

I reckon younger minds might be a good thing. Fresh eyes and all that.

Shouldn't it be normal people representing us rather than the tossers that are completely removed from real life?

Shocked that some wouldn't vote for a candidate just because they are young. Does it then follow that you would vote for somebody just because they're old? I think we could do with some more younger people in parliament and more working class. I think at least young people are less likely to be in the pocket of big business. Great to have young peoples views and needs better represented, I hope some of them get elected.

To those who say candidates need life experience, well the young would have the experience of being at university now, racking up huge amounts of debt facing the prospect of never being able to own a house in much of the country without family money to buy it for you, unpaid internships and a tough job market. I think that experience needs a louder voice.

I'm at the implication that the Greens had loads of really experienced older candidates willing to stand but they said, "No, let's go for the 22 year old who's into clubbing". I think it's more likely that said 22 year old was the only candidate they could get.

Oh and what's wrong with going out clubbing? You'd meet loads of people from loads of different backgrounds, likely have real life experience of drugs and alcohol, harassment women get ever how safe the not the streets are at night.

One of yours is just 21. What life experience does this one have. Im not voting (mind you im tactually voting) and dh who normally very for this party is on the fence....

I have been a local candidate for quite a few years now and I was a student when I first volunteered (albeit slightly older than 21) .

I do understand the fear of "career politicians" and came into contact with some, while involved with student politics.

But I have stood/am standing in a ward that is next to the area I have lived in my whole life. I would hate to be judged as having no life experience just for being young. If I was ever elected* as a local counsellor i feel I would have a lot to give and my experiences of growing up and transitioning from a young person to an adult with a family reflect other people's experiences in my hometown.

I have also worked a variety of jobs and done community work all while still (just) being under 30.

*I do not believe I will ever be elected as I am standing for a party that do not have a lot of supporters in the ward. I do however feel it is important for all parties to be represented.

Young people have been at the sharp end of most of this government's policies and I think it's absolutely right that their age group should have representation in parliament. I'm just relieved that there are still some around who are willing to have a go.

As for life experience - personally I'd rather be represented by someone who knows all about student debt, internships and zero hours contracts then someone whose only career outside Westminster was a PR job that mother- in-law landed him.

Our Green Party candidate is 69 and has been standing here for years. I think the Labour one is 30s and the rest 40s and 50s. I remember in 1997 there was at least one 23yo who stood for Labour in a supposedly very safe Tory seat and won. Everyone has to start somewhere I suppose though I would like the candidates to have some life experience.

Making such an age discriminatory statement like that is just as bad as saying "I wouldn't vote for a woman/black person/disabled person/gay person" in my book.

Well we must own very different books as I don't think it's anything like saying 'I wouldn't vote for a black/gay/disabled person. I just happen to think all politicians should have a career before entering politics. And by career I don't mean that nonsense that Cameron occupied himself with before claiming his (perceived) birthright.

I mean like Alan Johnson. Can't imagine many posties working their way up the ladder these days sadly.

Well according to the equality act age discrimination is the same as all the others.

And the use of the word "career"- should only middle class people become politicians?

Not people who've only ever had "jobs" or zero hour contracts? What about someone who's been a sahm- should they be excluded from politics because they haven't had 'careers'?

What about disabled people or carers who have never been able to work?

The very nature of politics is to represent the whole population.

We need people who know that 'life experience' can't be measured on a cv.

Well as I specifically mentioned Alan Johnson and his career clearly I don't think only middle class people should become politicians.

Replace career with 'life experience' if you like. I'm more than happy for 20 year olds to stand but as I say I'm unlikely to vote for them.

If young people shouldn't be able to stand as candidates, then surely they are too young to vote.

What if a 21 year old has been a postie since 16, so 5 years of work experience?

Attitudes like these shouldn't really surprise me. There are still bigots who won't vote for black people/women, why should age be any different.

I'm not a bigot.

To be fair, I never said I wouldn't vote for them because they are young. But these two in particular just didn't fill me with any confidence at all. The other candidate I was interested in, who I have voted for, has done loads of work locally to help further various causes, does a lot of campaigning, generally gave me confidence that she could represent me, whereas the two younger ones just came across as naive at best. No, being young shouldn't automatically disqualify somebody, but I do think if a young person is to be taken seriously in such a role they probably have to work much harder and/or have something extraordinary to offer, because your average 20 year old is not somebody that I'd feel happy to be having such a direct say in the running of the country.

Work experience is irrelevant, I'm not talking about work experience but life experience which is a totally different thing. Some of the "grey haired blokes" as mentioned above could do with a bit of it, I might add.