Austria lowered the voting age for young people like me, and

A child in 2020 will see a 400% increase in global heating. An adult over 55 will see none. Yet only one of the two can vote

I know this country needs a change, so I couldn’t help but be disappointed when I saw that the general election is going to be held on the 4 July – just two months from my 18th birthday.

Like many other young people across the country, I feel helpless when watching the actions of this government, knowing that I have no say over the decisions being made. Instead, we’re forced to watch older members of the public – especially the oldest, who turn out at the highest rate – cast their vote on what will ultimately impact us the most.

Beth Riding is an A-level student in Cornwall

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.