In the summer, we visited Kilmarnock Academy for the first of our “political conversations”. Politicians Alex Neil and Jackson Carlaw MSP spoke to S5 and S6 students about their careers in public life.
Afterwards, we asked the students to write a short essay on the visit describing how it had changed their opinions about politics and public life.
Today we’re publishing the two winning entries, from students Carolina Sharp and Devlyn Ritchie.
A big congratulations to them both and thanks also to the staff at Kilmarnock Academy for welcoming us.
In 2025-26, the John Smith Centre will be visiting more schools in the west of Scotland to talk to students about the state of public life in the hope we can inspire more of them to get involved in their communities.
CAROLINA SHARP
Impressions of politics
Before the John Smith Centre event, I felt that politics is an important and prominent element of society – it determines the way a country, continent and overall world is ran in terms of relationships and large responsibilities. I believe that politics is something that every member of society should look in to, to an extent. It is important for people to vote and keep engaged with the social, economic and wider society decisions constantly being made in politics and ensure that within a democracy, are expressing their right to participate in politics.
I also felt that politics is deeply flawed. Countries with dictatorships and an undemocratic government do not give the citizens the right to choose or influence country affairs or the rights and opportunities of the people. This can easily cause corruption and suffering amongst many members of society, with politicians favouring and lying to their people in their own personal favour. I believe politics is deeply flawed with the number of loopholes and generally unfair circumstances for types of governments.
Politics is also something generally criticised and stereotyped by many, because of recorded debates, speeches, reputations and the overall stigma of being involved in politics has formed a negative outlook to those who aren’t personally involved. I believe that this deters typically younger people from pursuing a career in politics or becoming involved at smaller levels, which is harmful to the future of politics as well as deterring young people away from voting in elections, thus harming the electoral turnout in elections and referendums, causing a deficit in democracy.
Political impressions after the John Smith Centre event
Firstly, after the John Smith Centre event I felt Alex Neil and Jackson Carlaw opened a new perspective to politics and the dynamics within it. They created a more humanised and rational impression of politics to me and others, proving that within and between different parties there is harmony, and the priority is about working together and reaching a middle ground. Prior, myself and many others felt a hostile presence amongst the different parties in the way their policies and agendas differ, but after the John Smith Centre event they showed us that with commitment, integrity and respect the most successful path to being a politician is learning how to work together and compromise.
Jackson and Alex further showed me the true flexibility and uncertainty you can have within politics. Prior, I felt that to be properly involved in politics you must have a defined passion and firm opinion on your political stances, as well as devoting your higher education to becoming a politician. However, this experience has proved to me it’s not the linear path it’s painted out to be, and that it’s important to have a slow journey and build up interest in politics, you can join local councils, volunteer and hop between parties to find what you truly like. Success in politics is not about having a degree that gets your foot in the door, as a matter of fact many of those individuals are naive and end up clueless in political decisions, but rather about growing your political experience and life experience where you can apply practical and integral knowledge to real life politics.
Being a teenager, I’ve shaped my political circumstances and opinions around others my age. Through the John Smith Centre event, I’ve realised that none of us really know the answers to everything like we think we might. Many teenagers who are already heavily involved in politics have such firm and fixed political beliefs that they become disconnected and hostile to other political opinions that do not align with their own. I particularly liked how both Jackson and Alex talked openly about how it’s okay to not know where you stand right now – as we grow and continue learning, our political leanings will evolve with us. I had always thought that my generation had only the political ‘know-it-alls’ or apathetic citizens. But, this event has made me realise this is not the case. In truth, we don’t know much yet and we are still new to the reality of politics and what it stands for. We are only at the beginning of our political journey.
DEVLYN RITCHIE
Is politics in crisis?
Before the event, I understood that politics was important, but I never really understood to what extent. As a whole I feel politics is underestimated by the younger generation, the importance of politics isn’t thought or spoken about by young people. Many believe the stigma that politics does nothing for them so why should they care? The reality of this is that due to false claims and promises by more recent fraudulent politicians, this is not far from reality.
There have been concerns that both Scotland and the UK’s parliament is on a slippery slope, with Jackson Carlaw and Alex Neil both agreeing that in modern times, it feels as if parties were being elected to merely be elected. They both believe that parties nowadays have no intention to change things and just want to be able to say they are in charge. This shows how politicians don’t always have a clear indication of what they are going to do and simply use promising and exciting slogans that all allude to change but then never act on said change. This is why going into the event I felt that politicians had little importance as I believed they were all selfish and only out for themselves.
"This meeting was a real eye opener for me on how politicians can truly have an impact on day-to-day life and that they are overly disrespected by the public."
However, after the event I came out with a more in-depth understanding of politics and politicians, and how important they are to society. After hearing what both Alex Neil and Jackson Carlaw had to say, me and some of my peers came to the realisation that in fact, most politicians do want to make a difference and do try to make decisions that influence the public. Alex Neil gave an example that I did not realise that had a significant impact on a member of my family. My cousin was born deaf in 2005, and with the original waiting time to get a new hearing aid being 7 years, his quality of life could have been a lot worse if Alex Neil did not do everything in his power to lower this to 2 years. This is just a decision that has had an impact on me and my loved ones, I’m sure other people have different stories. This meeting was a real eye opener for me on how politicians can truly have an impact on day-to-day life and that they are overly disrespected by the public. After the meeting I spoke to a peer who had little background information on politics or the work of politicians but after the meeting, he told me he was extremely surprised and felt that he had left the room feeling like he had discovered a whole new side of things that was hiding in plain sight.
For me, politics is at a crisis point, due to the previously stated false promises. Politicians have lost the trust of the people, and the people do not feel like they are fit to make decisions on behalf of our nation. I would agree to an extent as none of the current party leaders seem to have a sense of direction. If I was to get into politics, which I could potentially see as a path for me, I would try to place trust back into the people and show them that at the end of the day they are the ones the decisions are made for and not a shrewd politician. This would help reinstate the people’s trust in politics and help introduce the younger generation to a world where they can trust that their leaders are making decisions in their favour and not for their own benefit.