The voice of young people in Hounslow has been weakened by halving the borough's representatives in the UK Youth Parliament.
That's the view of Hounslow's sole remaining Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) Dunja Relic, who spent last week shadowing Brentford & Isleworth MP Mary Macleod.
The borough used to have two MYPs representing its young constituents - the same number of MPs it has sitting in the House of Commons.
But that was cut to one ahead of the annual elections earlier this year, won by 17-year-old Miss Relic, who lives in Hammersmith but attends Gumley House Convent School, in Isleworth.
Speaking at public exhibition in Twickenham Stadium last Friday (June 27), at the end of her week shadowing Ms Macleod, she said: "It's a shame we only have one MYP representing the views of young people in the borough on a national level.
"We need to make sure the voices of young people locally are heard, and I would like to see Hounslow get two MYPs again."
Miss Relic said she had enjoyed 'every single minute' of her week with Ms Macleod, which included a tour of 10 Downing Street, an MP's surgery in Isleworth and the chance to sit in on Prime Minister's Questions.
Ms Macleod said she was very impressed by the teenager, and backed her call for a second MYP in Hounslow.
"We need to do more to engage the public, and young people in particular, in democracy. I think the work of the Youth Council in Hounslow, and the Youth Parliament nationally is an important part of that."
