Tory teen fighting for council seat alongside his gran

Eighteen-year-old Jack Robinson and his gran, former pub landlady Jan Keenan, are standing for the Conservative party in the Guildhall ward, along with businessman Keith Rozelle.

They will be up against sitting independent member Brian Watson, who with 36 years under his belt is York council's longest-serving councillor, and Labour's Janet Looker who has represented the ward for more than 25 years.

Jack's interest in party politics began when he was studying for a Politics A-level and decided to join a party, spending two months researching which to go for.

He said: "It snowballed from there. It's often how it happens - you go out delivering leaflets one day and the next thing you know you're standing for council."

He said that if elected, he will feel responsible for making sure young people are properly represented in the council and speaking up for the student residents of Guildhall as well as the older people who live there.

He said: "Education and young people's issues are what I will put at the forefront.

"I don't know if my friends particularly support the Conservative party, but they think it's great I have the energy to get involved, to tele-canvass every evening and go out at the weekends as well," he added.

If he wins one of the ward's three seats, Jack will be the only teenage councillor in York's history and one of the youngest in the country.

Both sitting councillors have served as Lord Mayor of the city, Cllr Looker is currently a cabinet member, and Cllr Watson has also been Sheriff of York.

But Cllr Watson, who stands as an independent after being deselected by the Labour party last year, has warned his young opponent that local politics can be a demanding place.

"It's an arduous job - it's worthwhile but if anyone's expecting to go in and change the world, and have an easy life, it's not like that.

"It's going to be interesting in Guildhall. I think there will be around 13 candidates and it's going to be competitive."