“The Secret to getting ahead, is getting started”

                                                                                                                     -Mark Twain

In the world of modern politics, the movers and shakers are still predominantly elderly males. Individuals who’ve spent their lives dedicated to the craft, having mastered the art of politicking, to a perfect-t.

For 19-year Matthew Busby however, the decision to enter this established stronghold of control, was one he made without hesitation. Aiming to make his mark, by introducing a new and fresh approach to local politics, the Chester-Le-Street native ran for the position of Councillor in the Jesmond ward of Newcastle. Though unsuccessful in his attempt, Matthew’s attempt in itself is something quite spectacular.

From his school days at the Hermitage Academy in Chester-Le-Street, Busby was intrinsically drawn to the political process, albeit with a view that wasn’t ‘Labour’ or ‘Tory’. The newly formed ‘Green Party’ thus served as the alternative body of thought that Busby began subscribing to, viewing it as a ‘forward-thinking’ party which would be more welcoming to a younger demographic.

The students that he hopes to appeal to, play a big part in the district of Jesmond, in which he resides. With one of the highest student population across all of Newcastle’s districts, Busby aims to change not only the attitude of students towards their local councils, but also their attitudes towards politics in general.


















“Students are active in informal and different ways, students form societies, run campaigns in University and on the streets” said Busby when asked whether students are politically active. He goes on further to highlight the recent ‘Junior Doctor’s March’ that saw students in large numbers, taking to the streets to voice their grievances and disagreements with a system that is likely to affect their immediate future. When speaking about being personally affected, Busby endeavours to translate that degree of involvement to the local levels where students don’t often see the decisions of councillors affecting their day-to-day existence.

One possible source of this detachment according to Busby, is the sharply declining number of students that have registered to vote. Last year, a lot of students had registered because of the general elections that took place in May 2015. This year however, Busby feels that the political activity has sharply diminished and as a result, students residing in Jesmond don’t feel that local elections are worth getting involved in, as they have little to no knowledge as to how they work.

Busby feels that by informing the youth as to what local councils do, you can better their understanding of what they can do to aid their community in turn. Additionally, he is adamant that if students knew how easy it was to register to vote online, it would become, according to Busby, “an important enough issue for them to be bothered about”.

A campaign run by the Green Party, in the run up to the vote, was to simply go to different Halls of Residence with a Laptop, and get people to register on the spot. The spectacle itself, Busby claims, was enough to peak the students’ interest, getting them to get involved.

Busby’s own desire to change the system stems from his belief that those in power need to do more to get the students involved. One of his key motivations for running for councillor, was to change the approach towards addressing students. He believes that students can be viewed with a perspective that doesn’t diminish them as ‘non council-tax paying nuisances’ to actual contributors to the environments in which they live. This belief has led Busby to serve as a possible representative voice, who functions as both a regular student and a citizen with a positive view towards community involvement.
 

No stranger to the fact that he would face people with significantly more experience and politically nous in general, Busby still believes that as a member of the youth, who’ve felt let down by current politicians, unrepresented by national parties and unheard by leaders whom they elect, he can make a change by his efforts to enter the system

With nothing more than a full school education, Busby’s attempt to run for councillor has been far from the farce on would generally expect from someone at his age, running for a position in local council. Busby’s failure to get elected however, didn’t deter his confidence in the slightest, as he humorously remarked ‘All that matter is beating the Torys’, when the tally showed him finishing above all conservative representatives.
 

The efforts of the 19-years old are unlikely to go unseen, as Busby will stay with the Green Party and continue his political endeavours, wherever they might take him. He mighty yet have to wait to break the dominant old boys club that has defined a large section of British politics, however, at the rate he’s going, it’s not difficult to see him getting there, and changing the system along his journey.