First-time voters focus on cost-of living and NHS

Winner Ekwunife highlighted the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing

Many young people will be going to the polls for the first time on 4 July and we asked four of them about the issues that mattered most to them.

Barely half of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in the 2019 general election, according to the independent British Election Study.

This time the Electoral Commission said it did not yet have data on how many first-time voters had registered ahead of polling day.

But a spokesperson stated there were 2.9 million applications to register to vote after the election was called on 22 May.

Of those applicants, 759,468 were aged under 25 - 26% of the total.

I have been speaking to four 18-year-old, first-time voters at Coventry College.

Winner Ekwunife said the issues that mattered most to her during the election campaign were "accommodation and [the] economy".

She said: "Based on the amount of immigrants coming in, legally and illegally... [They're causing] a shortage of houses for legal immigrants to stay in and then for the young ones to get the houses on time, just like our parents did, back in the days."

In terms of the economy, she highlighted the high cost of living.

"It's not encouraging for youths, for us children, and yeah seeing our parents struggle with keeping us, feeding us... then [we're] just wondering what it might be when it gets to our turn," she said.

"It's gonna be hell if nothing is done right now, so yeah that's why it matters to me."

Jay Thomas said he felt like the NHS was "on its knees"

Asked which issues mattered most to him during the campaign, Jay Thomas said he wanted to see the NHS "getting a bit of love".

He added: "I feel like it's on its knees and it needs support in every single way."

Jay would also like to see "rising costs coming down".

"[Previously] I could get a chocolate bar for £1 and now it's £1.35.

"It doesn't seem a lot, but when you total it up, it really is."

Saida Mawala picked out university fees and the cost of accommodation

Saida Mawala highlighted the NHS, as well as the cost of university fees and accommodation.

She said: "In [the] NHS, the waiting lists are way too long to get treatment and just to see a GP, just to get [a] prescription or something.

"I think something should be done to avoid that, as well as the university fees and accommodation fees, especially to the international [students]."

Mahad Ali felt that the education system was "broken"

Mahad Ali said he felt the two most important issues during the campaign were health and the education system.

"I think the education system's broken and I think we need to fix it," he said.

"Classes are being overwhelmed and the education quality's going down."

He also said he thought "we need reforms in the NHS".

"The NHS is not doing great and the waiting lists are ridiculous to be honest."

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