The deputy leader of the Labour Party will be in Bradford today listening to young people’s ideas and giving them a chance to “throw down the gauntlet.”

Harriet Harman will speak about the importance of young people being involved in politics when she addresses the party’s National Youth Conference.

More than 300 people, aged 14 to 26 ,will be at the sell-out event held in the city over the weekend.

Miss Harman (pictured) said she was “really looking forward” to attending and hearing young people’s ideas which would feed into the party’s General Election manifesto.

“It’s really important that young people don’t feel that there’s nothing they can do and that politics doesn’t really affect their lives,” she said.

The Bradford Young Labour group will today announce its Twitter and Facebook accounts to help it reach more people.

“We’re building and building the opportunity for young people to have their say,” Miss Harman said.

The conference will give delegates chance to meet other party members, access training, hear from high-profile speakers such as Miss Harman and the opportunity to debate what they want Young Labour to do in the future, “It’s their moment for really throwing down the gauntlet,” she said.

“The conference will be very much a mix of people from all ethnicities, a mix of young men and women and I think what I’m going to be doing is enjoying listening to some of their debates, but really encourage them to do what they’re going to do to set their own agenda, not to follow in others’ footsteps, but to make their own footpath.”

Miss Harman said the Labour Party appealed to young people because it addressed issues they cared about such as tackling discrimination against women and ethnicity.

She said schemes such as Bradford Labour Youth Forum, which aims to get young people into the party, and The Bradford Future Candidates Programme were positive for the city.

“It’s a great place to have a conference. It’s going to be very vibrant,” Miss Harman said.

The conference will be for party members only who have bought tickets and is not open to the media or public.