Teen covid stats whiz Lloyd among those elected to Welsh Youth Parliament

A teenage stats whiz who kept Wales updated with the latest Covid-19 trends through much of the pandemic is among those elected to the Welsh Youth Parliament.

Today, the Welsh Youth Parliament announced the results of its second-ever elections for young people in Wales, with Lloyd Warburton chosen to represent Ceredigion.

Nearly 300 candidates fought for 60 seats with every single constituency in Wales facing a battle to be the area’s representative. Thousands of online votes were cast by young people during the three-week campaigning period.

As with the first-ever Welsh Youth Parliament in 2018-20, 40 constituency seats were decided by the votes of young people with 20 more Members selected by partner organisations to ensure the representation of diverse groups of young people.

“I was delighted when I found out I had won! I ran for the Welsh Youth Parliament election because I have always been politically-minded, and this was an opportunity for me to make my first real contribution to politics,” Lloyd Warburton said.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing what I can do once we get down to business.

“I enjoyed the experience of campaigning. I created a poster for social media and answered some questions from fellow young people on Instagram. It was particularly enjoyable to see the wide range of interests and passions different young people have.

“As for me, the thing that I’m looking forward to speaking up for as an issue which is important to me is the need for an Aberystwyth to Carmarthen railway line. It is essential, for the sake of all of Wales.”

The winners were:

North Wales

Ynys Môn – Isaac Floyd-Eve
Arfon – Poppy Jones
Aberconwy – Owain Williams
Clwyd West – Dylan Chetcuti
Vale of Clwyd – Finley Mills
Delyn – Laura Green
Alyn & Deeside – Leaola Roberts-Biggs
Wrexham – Bartosz Pawel Firmanty
Clwyd South – Rhys Rowlandson
Dwyfor Meirionnydd – Iago Llŷn Evans
Montgomeryshire – Jake Dillon
GISDA – Keira Bailey-Hughes
EYST – Samantha Ogbeide
Tros Gynnal Plant Cymru – Amir Alenezi

Mid and West Wales

Ceredigion – Lloyd Warburton
Brecon & Radnorshire – Tilly Jones
Preseli Pembrokeshire – Finn Sinclair
Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire – Zach Davis
Carmarthen East & Dinefwr – Iestyn Jones
Llanelli – Freddie Webber
Talking Hands – Kelsey Hannah Brookes
Learning Disability Wales – Tegan Skyrme
Young Farmers Club – Cerys Harts

De Ddwyrain Cymru / South Wales East

Cardiff West – Ffion Williams
Cardiff North – Ruben Kelman
Cardiff Central – Ellis Peares
Cardiff South & Penarth – Qahira Shah
Merthyr & Rhymney – Andrew Millar
Blaenau Gwent – Kasia Tomsa
Torfaen – Tegan Davies
Monmouth – Tobias Baysting
Caerphilly – Harriet Wright-Nicholas
Islwyn – Maddie Mai Malpas
Newport West – Sonia Marwaha
Newport East – Fatma Nur Aksoy
DIGON – Ffred Hayes
NYAS – Milly Floyd Evans
Girl Guiding Cymru – Fiona Garbutt
Race Council Cymru – Hanna Mahamed

South West Wales

Gower – Hermione Vaikunthanathan-Jones
Swansea West – Bisan Ibrahim
Swansea East – Ella Kenny
Neath – Jake Dorgan
Aberavon – Stella Orrin
Ogmore – Roan Goulden
Bridgend – Ewan Bodilly
Rhondda – Ruby Cradle
Cynon Valley – Jack Lewis
Pontypridd – Ffion Fairclough
Vale of Glamorgan – Evie Kwan
Tŷ Hafan – Seth Burke
Learning Disability Wales – Georgia Miggins
Carers Trust Wales – Ollie Davies
Urdd – Elena Ruddy
Boys’ & Girls’ Club Wales – Shania Adams
YMCA Swansea – Bowen Raymond Cole
National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) – Daniel Downton
Tros Gynnal Plant Cymru – Sultan Awolumate

‘Fantastic platform’

The successful candidates will formally take their seats in the new year when they meet each other in person for the first time at the Senedd and begin their time representing 11-17 year olds.

During their term, between 2021-2023, the Youth Parliament Members will focus their energies on three main priority issues. These are a combination of the candidates’ own stated priorities as well as matters raised by young people from conversations gathered in schools, outside events and submitted online.

By meeting regularly, consulting with young people and conducting inquiries, they will discuss the issues that matter most to young people in order to bring their views to the attention of the elected politicians of the Welsh Parliament.

Qahira Shah, the new Welsh Youth Parliament Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, said: “When I found out that I’d won, I couldn’t believe it! One month of speculation and anticipation and it was the best outcome I could have hoped for.

“Campaigning was a real eye-opener. I pushed myself into situations which I had never experienced before, such as talking to my year group and going door-to-door in my neighbourhood, searching for potential voters.

“There are so many ideas I am excited to discuss with fellow members of the Welsh Youth Parliament. I’m keen to see the change in Wales for youth; whether it’s environmental issues or tackling inequalities in society, giving a voice to the voiceless is crucial and we won’t see substantial progress until we listen and act.

“Campaigning and voting may have ended, but I’m only just beginning!”

Elin Jones MS, Llywydd of the Senedd, said she was delighted to be announcing the 60 new Welsh Youth Parliament Members that will be representing the voices of young people in Wales over the next few years.

“Young people contribute greatly to our society and have just as much a stake in our country as everyone else – it is crucial that they have an opportunity to get involved in our democracy,” she said.

“The Welsh Youth Parliament provides a fantastic platform for voices and perspectives that are often ignored. It allows Wales’ young people to set the agenda and focus on what matters to them.

“The Welsh Youth Parliament has been a huge success and I’m sure the Members elected today will be a credit to their constituents and all young people across Wales during this term.”