A SOLIHULL schoolboy, who has dreams of becoming the first Asian person to become Prime Minister, is kick-starting his election campaign for Youth Parliament.
Zain Ahmed is hoping his passion for politics will pay-off when he stands for Solihull constituency in next year’s elections.
The 15-year-old Solihull School pupil, who lives in Hall Green, became passionate about politics from a young age, despite his parents not being particularly interested in the subject.
Zain said: “Around the time of the last election, I started reading more and more about what they were talking about.
“I used to be a Tory until I realised they don’t care about the lower people in society and only care about the top 1 per cent.
“I then started going towards Labour, but I found myself not so keen on Corbyn.
“Now I spend my weekends helping the local Liberal Democrats, as well as campaigning in my local area to vote to stay in the European Union at the upcoming referendum.”
Youth Parliament members work alongside local MPs, advising them on issues affecting young people in their constituencies.
Finding his school did not offer politics as an A-Level subject, Zain decided to talk to his headteacher and start a politics club.
He explained: “We meet up each week and talk about current affairs.
“I wanted to start the club because I wanted to get more younger people involved in politics and encourage others to follow their ambitions to become engaged in politics too.”
But Zain said he did not think the voting age in the general election should be lowered to 16.
Instead he encouraged young people to engage in youth parliament elections as a way of fostering an interest in politics while learning to understand the importance of a vote.
As for this ambitious young man’s hope for the future?
“I want to stand in the 2020 election in my gap year,” Zain stated. “And if I’m not successful then I will to go to university to study politics.
“Politics is what I want to do – I want to become the first Asian Prime Minister.”
