Young Labour, Lib Dems and Tory Supporters Duke It Out in This Video

By almost every metric that matters, the UK is worse off than it was a decade ago.

Homelessness is massively, massively up; public services are chronically underfunded; air quality is illegally-bad in towns and cities across the country; children living in poverty are being forced to use food banks; Brexit lumbers on, hijacking all the political oxygen that would otherwise have fuelled actual policy-making. In summary: things are not great!

Imagine watching all of this unfold, knowing that – despite being politically engaged and active and angry – you can't do anything about it, because you're just a tiny little bit too young. That's the reality for a good number of the 2 million 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK, who are missing out on a say in their future at next week's general election.

While they're unable to vote, it's important that the teenagers whose futures could be profoundly affected by the result on the 13th at least have their voices heard – which is why, when the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) came to us with their #YOUTHVOTE campaign, we were excited to help.

The first stage of that campaign was encouraging under-18s to take part in an online ballot, and to print that ballot off and deliver it to their local polling station in protest. The second – which is where we got involved – was a debate between young representatives from the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems, as well as a UKSCN member, held at Hoxton Hall, east London last weekend.

The four speakers debated questions put to them about the environment, education and lowering the voting age, finding common ground and cause for disagreement in areas you might not expect. Watch the full debate up top.