TWO Tavistock MPs of different generations met at Tavistock College last week and discussed politics.

Twelve year-old Ben Walshe, who comes from Bere Alston and is a pupil at Tavistock College, has been elected as a member of the UK Youth Parliament.

This is a national organisation which will be set up next year to try to influence Members of Parliament in their creation of laws that affect young people.

Ben met John Burnett, the West Devon and Torridge member in the House of Commons, who encouraged him with his career in politics.

Ben told Mr Burnett: 'I am concerned about the problem of homelessness.'

Mr Burnett agreed, but told Ben that 'a balance had to be struck between building more houses and conserving the environment'.

Ben was elected as one of three Devon MYPs when he and the two others, Ben Rich and John Tattersall, visited Teignbridge District Council for a training day.

Ben said afterwards that he wanted Graham Stoate, the college's assistant vice-principal, to be his parliamentary agent.

The UKYP held a publicity day yesterday (December 13), for which secondary schools were asked to let pupils wear what they liked in order to express themselves. Leaders of the movement lobbied 10 Downing Street and the House of Commons for support.

The Youth Parliament's first meeting is scheduled to take place at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, in London from February 23 to 25 with around 450 members, who will serve a one-year term and decide their policies and actions among themselves. It will produce a Youth Manifesto which will be presented to party leaders.

The organisation was launched in 1996 at a conference in Coventry Cathedral. It involves young people from a wide range of backgrounds who are interested in influencing public policy. Elections of MYPs are continuing around the country.