A teenager who hit the headlines earlier this year when he demanded that the council does more to tackle climate change, is believed to be one of the youngest candidates to ever stand for a general election in Bolton – and possibly in the country.
Paris Hayes, who has been dubbed Bolton’s answer to Greta Thunberg, is the youngest candidate running to be MP in the borough at 18.
In July he started a petition calling on Bolton Council to declare a “climate emergency”, with a list of demands to take action on climate change.
But the local authority, which administers the elections, said that he may be the youngest person to ever stand for a general election in the borough.
The Westhoughton lad, who has only just finished his A Levels at Bolton Sixth Form College, said he does not want the next generation fearing for their futures.
He said: “This isn’t just an important issue to me, it’s an important issue to everyone, especially the younger section of society.
“Climate change will effect us all – it already is doing so with on average warmer summers, huge amounts of sea ice melting and more extreme weather events.”
Paris could even be one of the youngest candidates to be on the ballot paper at this general election across the whole country.
The Green Party candidate in Bolton West, who turned 18 in April, said that he is only aware of one candidate who is younger than him.
In the UK, anyone standing in elections for public office, including parliament, assemblies and councils, must be aged 18 or older on the day they are nominated.
There are no upper age limits for particular positions in public office.
The minimum age for candidates was reduced from 21 to 18 in 2007.
Here is the full list of candidates standing in Bolton West on December 12:
- Rebecca Ann Forrest, Liberal Democrats – To Stop Brexit
- Chris Green, The Conservative Party Candidate
- Paris Hayes, Green Party
- Julie Ann Hilling, Labour Party
