Young Won't Stand For 'Same Old Rhetoric'

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Stand Up Be Counted contributors are challenging politicians to break from their usual lines as they take part in the Sky News Facebook #AskTheLeaders event.

Student James Cantwell, who is in the audience, said: "It's fantastic they're coming to us but we can't have the 'same old same old' rhetoric. We won't stand for it."

Stand Up Be Counted (SUBC) is a Sky News initiative where 16 to 25-year-olds can speak out and share ideas.

It is working with Facebook to give younger people the chance to grill those in charge of the major parties, both in person and online.

A day of live Q&A sessions with 60 young people interrogating political leaders is taking place on Sky News.

People can join the discussion online using the #AskTheLeaders hashtag on the Stand Up Be Counted Facebook page, the Sky News Facebook page or on Twitter.

The whole day's coverage is being streamed on the SUBC Facebook page, the Sky News Facebook page and Sky News YouTube channel.

Carissa Jamu, another Stand Up who is in the audience, said: "I think this is a great platform. We don't normally have this opportunity to speak to leaders in person - but through social media we can get our voices heard.

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Gallery: SUBC: Young Voters Question Leaders

People involved with the Stand Up Be Counted campaign arrive for the debate

The Stand Up Be Counted team prepares for the debate

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Green Party leader Nathalie Bennett answers questions

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Sky News' Political Editor Faisal Islam on the set of the debate

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"That's the most convenient way to get through to us, we're on Facebook and Twitter daily, that's the best way to interact with us."

Political issues were the most discussed topics on Facebook last year so the event aims to bring leaders to where 16 to 25-year-olds discuss what matters to them.

James, 19, said: "We are the social media generation, so it's putting it on our terms having it on a social media platform. It's putting the ball in our court. We've got the power."

Issues that Stand Ups are keen to talk about include, according to James, immigration, fracking, austerity and tuition fees.

But Carissa, 22, said: "I think as students we raise tuition fees too much. Other issues are out there we need to discuss - welfare, benefits, we're going to get older - they're going to affect us at some point."

If the leaders dodge questions on these difficult areas the contributors are confident they won't let them try the oldest trick in the book - answering the question they want to answer and being elusive.

Carissa said: "I'm going to re-word the question and hope they answer it again. I'm going to keep pestering them about it.

"Every time we ask them questions they divert it to something different. So I'm going to re-word it and hopefully we'll get there."

James added: "I don't want to get let down. My challenge to them is real talk - just tell it how it is."

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