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Get ’em in young: 18 year-old becomes UKIP’s youngest councillor

Days after the resignation of their only MP Douglas Carswell UKIP seem to be scraping the barrel with an 18 year-old who was too young to even vote for Brexit last year.

Councillor William Jones was co-opted to Cullompton Town Council at a full meeting last week.

He will sit as a UKIP representative in the Devon town after choosing the party he claims best represents the interests of young people.

The teen, an apprentice junior surveyor at Mid Devon District Council said he would have voted for Leave but was not old enough at the time of the EU Referendum.

He has also called for unity within the country this week as the Government triggers Article 50.

Will said: “At the age of 17 I couldn’t have voted for Brexit, but I would have done if I could.

“At the end of the day we’ve got a 52 per cent majority for Brexit so Theresa May is going to trigger Article 50.

“Remainers and leavers need to come together to get the best result for Britain.

“I think at the moment things are also going quite well for UKIP to be honest.

“We got the referendum result that we wanted and it’s our job now to keep pressing the Conservatives and Theresa May so that she does evoke Article 50 and goes through with it.”

Will, of Cullompton, is already being scouted by UKIP South West representatives and will be standing in the next Devon County Council election.

Others within the party are suggesting he could even stand as an MP.

He added: “In our age group these days, with the younger demographic there are just not enough young people getting into politics, especially on a local government level.

“I am hoping to bring the youth’s voice and hoping to bridge the gap between young people and the older demographic.”

Tony McIntyre, UKIP chairman for Tiverton & Honiton and the South West said: “He will be standing for Devon County, how he’ll get on, we’ll have to wait and see.

“We have been screaming as a party for youth. Youth is going to have an impact and here he is, he’s walked into our door and he’s very interested.

“He came down to our conference, met the people there in Weymouth and everybody is very impressed.

“The sky is the limit with what he could achieve. He’s 18, so let’s see if he continues with his enthusiasm.

“Certainly at the next general election I will be pressing for him to find out what it’s like to stand as an MP.”

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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