A teenager will help shape the way the country is run after being selected to advise MPs in the House of Commons.

Louise Hawkins, a pupil at Friern Barnet School in Hemington Avenue, will spend one year on the youth select committee, which is led by the British Youth Council and supported by the UK Parliament.

As part of her new role, the 14-year-old will look into lowering the voting age to 16 and discuss other issues important to young people across the country.

She will represent Barnet’s young people by attending meetings in the House of Commons and lobbying key decision makers in Parliament to advance issues important to young people.

She said: “My colleagues and I recently had our first evidence at a session in the House of Commons.

“We asked questions to many different people who gave evidence and the response was amazing.

“We also heard opposing views from Andrew Slaughter MP and the Government view, which was presented by Tom Brake MP, Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.”

The committee is made up of 11 members, from the ages of 14 to 18-years-old across the country and includes three Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) one former MYP, three councillors and a representative from the Scout Association.

Councillor Reuben Thompstone, chairman of the children, education, libraries and safeguarding committee, said: “Young people in Barnet have always been very active and knowledgeable when it comes to advancing the views of other young residents.

“This can only be for the good of our democracy and our borough and I want to encourage, not only young people, but the rest of us to support these initiatives.”