POLITICIANS should spend more time listening to the needs of young people, and not just appear when there is an election, according to a group of Bradford teenagers.

With people going to the polls for the general and local elections today, the Telegraph & Argus spoke to a group of students at Grange Technology College to see what they thought were the big issues of this election.

They all agreed that it was important for schools to teach politics so young people can make up their own mind, and not rely on family or the media to shape their political views.

Fahim Zaman, 17, said: "You only see most politicians during the elections. You don't see them the rest of the time.

"Most MPs don't seem to be doing much about youth unemployment, not much seems to get done in cities that have the highest youth unemployment."

Mohammed Usman, 19, will be voting for the first time at these elections.

He said: "As young people I feel we are not represented in Parliament. If there aren't any MPs under 30 then there won't be that understanding of issues young people face. You see it with issues like tuition fees. MPs who probably didn't have to pay anything are asking us to pay £9,000."

He said it was important that young people were engaged in politics, adding: "Our views need to be heard, and at the moment it doesn't feel like they are being heard."

Muiz Waseem, 12, said: "Everyone has different views, and it is important MPs know what the problems we face are."

When asked what issues they felt had not been raised by candidates in this election, Mr Usman said: "Statistics came out a couple of months ago that showed Bradford was second lowest in GCSE tables.

The candidates don't seem to be addressing this. Being that low is shameful and the candidates and existing MPs don't seem to be doing much about it."

Talha Mashakoor, 15, thinks that young people should be taught about politics in school, as well as learning about it for themselves.

Fahim added: "It is important schools teach politics, because if you're left to learn on your own you tend to take on the political views of your family. You have to develop your own views."

They said efforts by some politicians to reach out to voters through media like Twitter and You Tube was a positive step in better engaging with young people, and all felt that this current election had seen too many personal attacks when politicians should be focusing on policy.