i have heard again and again how we are not mature enough. we are here because we are mature. other countries, argentina, they have the vote. [applause] we are ready for this. the time is coming. argentina is not having the apocalypse, brazil is not falling under. this could be a successful campaign. democracy is a beautiful thing. so, please, vote for 16. [applause] so ere was one person unadulter ated if i didn't call him. so let's hear from you, sir. i hope that cheers you up.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. y name -- i'm representing the west midlands. people will tell us in recent elections, the youngest age group has had the lowest turnout. now let me say this, have you seen the results for the make your mark ballot? [applause] >> how many young people wanted their voice to be heard and decided that they would take action and mark those ballot papers so we could be here today. elections happened not long ago and from the percentage of voters, only 12% came back. and youth parliament received 27%. so that shows young people won this vote and will work for it. if you try to hold us down, we

will speak in your eye. you can't stop us. cheers and applause] we will earn the vote and use our vote successfully so we can be heard in our system and we will get what we want from our government. cheers and applause] >> i want to hear -- i want to ear a guy from london. nd i did see this guy first. >> i'm representing the best region that there is, london. cheers and applause]

>> we are all in london right now. [laughter] now, a great man once said to me it is fundamental that these things happen because it shows democratic change and the government is listening. we keep hearing why do we need to do something if the government is doing something. we should be doing something for our young people. that's the reason why we are here. they say we cannot hear it and say we don't care about politics. young students are taking engagement in politics. they say we aren't mature enough and expected to make decisions that affect the rest of our lives. does that even make sense? vote for 16.

platform to make change and make influence. i urge you to vote for 16. i will give you my silence if you vote for 16. i will be voting for vote for 16. the biggest issue, please vote for 16. thank you. >> ok. what about wales? who have we got left from wales? the woman in the second row from the back. yes. >> thank you, mr. speaker. big topic -16 is a and big responsibility for us to have. can understand -- half the

people don't understand what party to vote for. i think education is we need to be educated first before we go into this specific theme. we understand, that's why we ere. how do we know what they understand. we understand completely the difference between the parties. we understand what they do and how they do things. but this -- my friend hasn't got a clue. she didn't know this existed or a youth parliament. how can she be left on her own decisions to pick her own party? i'm for vote for 16. but people don't understand the responsibility that comes with it.

>> wow! >> i think the woman there -- yes. you at the end in the black outfit. >> i have to say this -- >> i'm sorry, forgive me. i don't wish to be unkind but what about the women at the end with the -- yes, with the fair hair. yourself, yes. we should vote for 16. i think it is really important for young people for career

development and need to derstand the parties and policies because it makes such an impact on their lives and affects young people all over the u.k. thank you. [applause] >> have we got anybody else waiting to speak from northern ireland? we'll take you. >> thank you, mr. speaker. firstly, may i say that i believe the numerical success of the choice in the campaign has been used by the opposition to suggest a political engagement by young people in some hidden aerroneously defined majority. the campaign is not a proof of youth interest in politics. in real life, the people must go to the ballot box, the ballot box does not go to the people.

[applause] >> secondly, there has been the suggestion that we should append some form of political education to the policy of franchise extension to prevent the rise of extremist parties. i am sorry. but what is the point of encouraging the growth of the branches of this democracy, the franchise, when its roots, its principles are torn up from the ground, to educate against any party, extreme or moderate is nsorship and inchornt -- incoherent of a tolerant democracy. [applause] finally, in the words of a famous political philosopher he

had monday burke, we owe our judgment and we -- my judgment tells me that the young are too unconcerned, too ineffective, too immature, quite simply, too young to be given the vote. i know it is a popular policy, but what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular. [applause] >> i want to thank you for that speech. the quality of your delivery and if i may so, standing up for what you believe. sometimes we do swim with the tide of opinion around us and sometimes we don't and it's very important to respect the capacity and willingness of public representatives to speak

according to their convictions where it may take them. and i say that not to that gentleman from northern ireland but to everybody who has spoken, a huge thank you. i'm sorry to say that all good things come to an end and i must our lady who will wind up the debate. give her a huge welcome. [cheers and applause] >> thank you, mr. speaker. the arguments for vote for 16 are pretty darn good, right? while the arguments against the pretty re equally decent. there were good points on both sides. you thitter are going to love it

or hate it. this campaign already has a hell of a lot of support, major big political parties are properly backing vote for 16 not to mention scotland already has a referendum allowing 16-year-olds to vote. it also ex cludes those 11-15 year olds and we represent everyone from 11-18 and every single age in between. we represent 16 and 17 year olds and on't have a clue frankly, probably don't care. trust me, there is a fair amount of them out there, how are they supposed to make an informed vote. does the average 18, 19 or

20-year-old really have that much more political knowledge than the average 16 or 17-year-olds? to wake up on your 18-year-old birthday and turn into a political dictionary. there are people out there who don't know the first thing about politics but they all have the right to vote. 18-year-olds can pay their wages nd expenses. you probably decided what you are voting for way before i started speaking. te for a winnable cam --

campaign. unemployment, work experience, all the national curriculum, in a year, what makes votes at 16 so utterly fabulous is the fact that it is a practical vote and a principled one. the timing for this campaign is unreal. we have an election around the corner. there is so much hype and buzz around this topic. the stars couldn't have been more realigned. we need to strike while the ron's hot. [applause] wever, before we go, we just need to think how much this is actually matter to all the young people we represent and the fact that we are speaking loud and

clear, this is number one. it is -- whether you love the idea of vote for 16 or just downright hate it, what today really boils down to, what it is all about is listening to the young people we represent, locally, recommending neal and nationally and that is what i have every confidence that you will all do. get out there and represent. cheers and applause] >> thank you so much for winding suchr proceedings in quite fantastic style. that was appreciated by everyone in the chamber and those attending our proceedings. that concludes the debates for

today. while we're waiting for the votes and still waiting for the votes, i will progress with the remaining features of the day. people should take their seats s quickly as possible. now colleagues, i referenced much earlier in our proceedings the presence of my parallel men -- parliamentary colleague. universeally respected and liked member of parliament and if you totally ha and committed to the public good. she has also, along side the

minister for civil society, been here and i thank them very warmly both of them throughout our proceedings. they have been here all day. natasha has been in the chamber and nick. i'm very appreciative of the commitment they have both shown and i hope you in the spirit of recognition of her respect for you will show your respect for natasha as i ask her to address us. cheers and applause] >> thank you very much, mr. speaker. that is quithe an introduction and some of you were here over the last couple of years and you know that this is my one occasion at the box every year. [laughter] >> which i enjoy very much deed, the quality of the

speeches, all of us, we have been talking. the quality of the speeches have been absolutely phenomenal across the board. i mean some of you quite honestly. you stand at the dispatch box, you are a lot better than many ministers that we know. [laughter] but also in honor of the u.k. parliament, i should in advance of coming here tonight go on twitter. i have reluctantly joined the 21st century and i have been a one-woman twitter storm and the response to what you said and called retweeted? [laughter] > i learned what a hashtag is.

>> what everybody has been saying is how polite your how respectful and how brief your you say what you think and sit down again. that is something that we could learn something from. and one of the comments i was really struck by and i don't agree with it, but it shows a real kindness what the young woman who said about how can we justify government providing jobs for young people when there are so many adults that were unemployed. i was touched by that, because it does show what young people say, young people are really caring and that comment exemplifies that. and there was something also done by parliament and i talked about the gap between politicians and the people we represent and language and how that really -- the way we use

language really distances us from the people that we represent. i think today every single person who spoke you had definite opinions and very brave in what you say, sometimes what you said what is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right. i think these are really important issues and that we stand up for what we believe in even when it means we become ourselves very unpopular. i think the other comment that i took away with me with the young man who said, you heard the stats, figures and is that something we need to take as a lesson when we stand up in parliament and make the same point over and over again, repeating the same facts and stats and figures that the previous and the previous and previous speaker used. we'll take that away with us.

i wanted to say how pleased that i had adam speak in parliament and long time coming and very well done. and we've got a plan and depending on what the issues that you have voted on today and so we have a big plan to make sure that whatever it is that you have chosen today will go before the business committee by members of parliament to promote here what it is that you have chosen today so you know that we have listened to you. [applause] >> other person we ought to thank without whom -- it's mr.

speaker. cheers and applause] >> he has been campaigning for the u.k. youth parliament to speak in this chamber for many, many years and one of the first things he did when he took the chair is to allow the youth u.k. parliament to come here. it was a hard battle but everyone is on board and everybody who sits in the chamber from a monday to a thursday, i think everybody agrees this has only enriched parliamentary life. the only thing i would add though, the enthusiasm which people sprung up to catch your eye, don't expect that from a monday to thursday, because we have been cultivating differences. thank you very much for everything you have done.

and the last person i would like to thank is robin. i have rarely heard such a moving opening statement and i think if we can introduce anything to parliamentary life be reminded what we are doing here and the importance of what we do when we are here. cheers and applause] >> it would be a wonderful way to start the day and i will vote for that campaign next year. i'm looking forward to hearing what it is. and it's a bit late any way. the votes have been counted. but i will hand it over to the cabinet minister, excellent speaker, i have to add.

thank you very much. and thank all of you for coming. cheers and applause]

>> as a london m.p., for that, mr. speaker, what you commented on and natasha commented on, a packed gallery upstairs which i think i have witnessed more passion, integrity, compassion, humor in four hours this afternoon than i have in eight years in this place. [applause] >> and how often have you yerned a member of parliament say, i have made my points, so i will sit down. lf laugh >> absolutely fantastic. >> natasha is a great thing and i wholly endorse what she said.

i thought it was amazing. you can be as rude as you like about people who work here and sometimes that is utterly justified, but this place is magnificent and matters deeply. not just where we make law, but settle our differences and have debates, where arguments are won or loss where over the years, magnificent campaigns in the years of social justice have been per see verdict and won. it is a magnificent place and entirely right that you meet here, mr. speaker and join natasha in thanking you for your support. but special thanks for all the staff, the door keepers and everyone involved who have made his. [applause]

>> i think this occasion really matters. prime minister asked me to take on responsibility for youth policy so good news, there is a minister for youth and bad news, it is me. and i asked for it. it is so important that we hear the voice of young people. i don't think it has ever been more important and i will give you two reasons why. the first is this, this country is aging very fast. a number of people over 65 will grow by 50% between now and 2030 and at the same time, young people and you have been don't t on this, perhaps understand our political process or don't feel engaged, i worry eeply about the statistics

18-24-year-olds who could vote, only 12% said they definitely will. what i care about is we cannot let the politics of this country and this place be dominated by the priorities of old people. and if we're not careful, there is a real danger that we will. i have no shortage of advice for people. to counter that, we have two wonderful people here today. in addition to that, i have my constituency -- i have two young people from every school and we meet regularly to talk about what matters. we talked what matters globally and what mattered internationally and nationally and what mattered. and the issues were completely different from the ones that i normally asked to engage it.

the word immigration didn't come up at all. and this is enormously important that we create the space for young people. and i think today has been really important in reinforcing that because the issues you raise are massive. we are wasting the potential of a million young people in this country. source of national shame. before anyone starts to make too many political points about this, youth unemployment rose 40% under the last government during good times. and actually what this raises is the issue you raised is how well are we preparing youth for the world of work and life, and you are saying not well enough. i listen to employers and survey after survey of employers are saying the same thing, applications matter a lot, they are important. but what we are looking for is

something else. we are looking for what you have been describing, life skills. and they can be developed. i'm the minister responsible. we take enormous pride. we create opportunities for 16 and 17-year-olds from different backgrounds and take you out of your comfort zones for three weeks. building confidence and developing exactly the skills that employers are looking for. confidence, the ability to get on with people from different backgrounds, present yourself, ability to manage a team. all this are skills. i'm a huge believer in that and the passion with many of you spoke about bullying was deeply impressive. and i have backed for some years a charity called beat bullying.

and creating space for young ople to make, young people helping other young people suffering from bullying and the issue of your voice, your democratic rights is hugely important. and it's absolutely right that you should continue to talk about that. what am i go go to do that. you heard a letter from the prime minister and he said i was to report back to him. the consequences for me not to do that are unthinkable. i will do that. i'm scheduled to present to the cabinet next tuesday, mr. speaker, to talk about our plans to expand and whole agenda of what we do to try and improve life skills and i'm going to talk about it today. i wish you were here to hear the young people who help us prepare

better for the workplace and life. you know that the select committee, a report has been published. i will follow up on that. and you heard from natasha, big move from the back bench. you know what the significance of this. finding space in this parliament's time to debate the issue that you choose or choose one of the issues that you choose. that's important. that matters. someone said, can't be about facebook pictures or the nice feeling of being here. it's what you do with it now that really matters. and all our deep assistance. these campaigns don't last for a year. most of the important ones have lasted a lot longer.

if i make one plea, go out and inspire others. go out and inspire others. there are so many of your generation that don't feel connected. i ask the question, do you know what an m.p. does? inspire. educate. [applause] >> yes. a lot of rubbish talked about your generation. some of the media should be ashamed. i have a completely different view. i think you represent arguably the most compassion nature that this generation has produced and this afternoon has proved it. thank you.

>> nick, thank you very much, indeed for that. it was hugely appreciated by all members of the youth parliament. i'm going to ask to speak either from the floor or from the dispatch box by way of i think of expression of thanks, though no thanks are required, happy to hear from york shir. katey. [cheers and applause] >> 15 of november, 2013, a date now engraved in your memories forever. today, 300 members of the youth parliament have come together to debate and represent the views of your constituents in this chamber. each one of us should feel proud and honored to have the opportunity to sit on these famous green benches. each one of you should go back

to your swizzes and knowing that you have done an outstanding job expressing the views of the country's young people. youth parliament, you need educated staff who work endlessly to make the youth parliament operate successfully. i can speak on behalf of everybody involved and say a massive thank you to the british youth council staff and the workers here today and to those jable to be here for all the hard work they have put in over the past year. cheers and applause] >> thanks also to the house of commons staff, who have been so friendly and welcoming today and we thoroughly appreciate you being so accommodating for us.

i would like to express a personal gratitude to all the members of parliament who have come to witness a feat today and worked with us in support on a local level. a special mention goes to nick hurd who has taken time out of his time able to listen to our today.and listen to us nick is a constant supporter of the youth parliament. natasha, who addressed us today and firm believer of our work. thank you for coming today. [applause] >> there may be 300 members of youth parliament here today but let's not forget all the young

people involved in youth democracy who cannot be here today, but have contributed and assisted with our local campaigns and projects from the last year. we couldn't have done it without them. a to those who have done magnificent job -- [cheers and applause] >> organizing and delivering events regionally and nationally, you helped the youth parliament function and always there to give us a helping hand. you are an inspiration to us and to everyone present, i thank you for your hard work over the past ear. one person each year makes this debate possible, because without him there would probably be

disarray. mr. speaker, thank you for chairing what has been a antastic debate. [cheers and applause] >> and for continuing to support youth parliament over the past few years. i hope you have had as much fun as we had today. create your debate, and you have come from far and wide and represented every single young person in the u.k. you have amplified the voices of nearly half a million young people, promoted youth vote and democracy but most importantly, ideas, criticisms, opinions and most importantly your voices and you definitely made them heard. you came and created five fantastic topics which is going to have two new campaigns next

year. early 00,000 people voted on mark your ballot. we have shown that young people want to vote, have a voice and most importantly are getting their voices heard. thank you. [applause] >> katie, thank you and in the name of fairness and of political impartiality, having noted the presence throughout the day for the most part in the chamber but certainly on the estate of the minister and of natasha respectively from the skeve and the labour parties, i must mention the presence throughout the day, the liberal emocrat member from wales.

[cheers and applause] >> i will in a moment just round off the proceedings with some personal words of my own and i hope that will be understood. but before i do so, i have the news for you -- oh! >> in the form of the result -- i was going to say the votes, because there were two ballots. on ballot paper one, you were deinvolved ur one issue, the england-only issue. nd the figures are as follows. a curriculum to prepare us for . fe 136 votes

zero tolerance towards bullying n schools, 42 votes. better work experience and careers advice, 115 votes. cheers and applause] your chosen issue with 136 votes is a curriculum to prepare us or life. [cheers and applause] were ballot paper two, you voting for your one reserve, that is to say, u.k.-wide issue upon which you feel the youth parliament should campaign.

and the votes cast were as follows. combating youth unemployment, 76 votes. votes for 16 and 17 year olds in votes!lic elections, 217 cheers and applause] >> 217 votes.

votes for 16 and 17 year olds in all public elections has been chosen as your reserved campaign shoe for the year. thank you for exercising your democratic right and indeed discharging your duty and you now know the results. many thanks have been expressed. i want to underline them because we say in society, as a whole, thank you too rarely and scarcely possible to say those words too often. so thank you to the teachers here present and the youth workers for the fantastic job they have done today and throughout the year. cheers and applause]

thank you for all they do throughout the year as well as today to the british youth council. cheers and applause] ank you to the sergeant-at-arms lawrence ward and principal door keeper robin feld. work with them both on a day-to-day basis and i know them both to be fantastic servants of the house and also very importantly leaders in this house. so i'm not surprised that they have a fantastic job. they always do. put your hands together. [applause]

>> i want to thank very specifically and very explicitly, the clocks at the table and the clocks at the table who do an outstanding job are often the unsung here oogs of this place. day-to-day, you will watch the most senior clocks in the lead. i have introduced an arrangement whereby where junior, more rising clocks, female clocks. menace well. rising clocks who are going to be the chance for the future. and what a better opportunity than today to have them not just being part of the team, but being the team at the table. they do a fantastic job, brilliant servants of the house and function to our

parliamentary democracy. please show your appreciation as well. cheers and applause] >> thank you to the police adets! [cheers and applause] >> thank you, very importantly, to our catering staff. [cheers and applause] > thank you. eaker's secretary -- the assist ant secretary, my media

i ser and spokesperson and have a wonderful team whose service is before self. they don't like to be acknowledged and not keen to be brought to the floor but they are essential to the operation of the system to me being in the right place and trying for the most part i hope with some success to doing the right thing. so please thank my team. cheers and applause] >> of course i thank with the most eff use i have enthusiasm parliamentary colleagues again. those here present, those who were here earlier today and indeed those throughout the year

offer their support and encouragement to their local uth parliament and youth parliamentarians. now reference was made by the minister very appropriately, generously but in no way overstating the case of the quality of the present generation to the vitality and perhaps now the indispense built of the u.k. youth parliament and i repeat what was said by natasha and by other people here present. some of you may have heard me ay before that when it was first decided that the u.k. youth parliament should be able to meet here on a nonsitting

friday and debate its issues it was a subject of controversy. i can't speak for all colleagues. there are colleagues who may still be wholly reconciled. it is overwhelmingly the case now that across the political spectrum, colleagues see why you should be here and if i can put it this way, they get it. twass not always so. when i was selected speaker, that the intended arrangement in 2009 session was the chairman of ways and means and then deputy speaker of the house to chair the proceedings. and i said to him, alan, you take the day off and spend the time in your constituency. i will take the chair and it wasn't in a spirit of self-importance that i said that, it was out of a sense of

passion for what you do and a sense of obligation to you. and one of my parliamentary colleagues who is no longer a member of this house or indeed of parliament at all, came up to flurrieyed in face virtually the state of -- he opposed , saying e said to me to me in the shrillest of terms that it was my intention to chair the debates and he said let me tell you, mr. speaker, sir, it will be an utter, unmitigated disaster. and i said what makes say you that? tell me your argument. and there was a lot of pom

pfistication. i know what i have been talking about. i want to know what's your argument. and eventually after after quite a lot of windbag erie. he said mark my words if they come in this chamber to debate their issues, at the very least, he said, chewing gum will be left all over the chamber. and at the worst, he said, you mark my words, mr. speaker, pen knives will be used and damage will be inflicted upon these benches, which i love. and i said to him, look, i respect your right to hold your view and in a funny way i respect and do the fact that he

confronted me so directly. didn't say it behind my back and told me candidly what he thought, but i said i have to say i'm horrified and shocked by the way in which you have duced a whole section of our population by -- i simply don't buy it for a moment. i'm a big fan, i said of the u.k. youth parliament, which is very diverse and much more representative of the population in many ways than the house of commons is. i believe that if we want to be respected by young people, we must show young people for young people. respect is not an automatic right of ours but an earned entitlement. and i believe that if these people come to our chamber, they will be proud to come, they'll

speak well, they will hone their skills and they will behave at least as well as we do if not rather better. and i know it's never popular when one says to people, i told you so or i was right, but i hope you agree, colleagues, i was right on every count. cheers and applause] >> so i don't regard of any burden. i'm sure nick doesn't or natasha doesn't, to give up time that would be spent doing something else to be here. i regard it as a great privilege to be amongst your number. i enjoy coming to the annual general meeting. first time i came -- time around

it was in cantor bury and then n bell fast and then it was in leeds and nottingham and those are two big fixtures as is the other work that goes on throughout the year. and centrality and growing political sailens, that work has been underlined which the minister has said today and i thank you from the bottom of my heart and what natasha has said, representing the government on the one side and very importantly the back bench business committee on the other. and natasha says she only speaks from the dispatch box. i have no disrespect from those, but the chair of the back bench committee is an absolutely pivotal figure in the work of

the house of commons. and they both made it clear that it's not a box-ticking exercise, the themes of the debate, the passion you invested in our proceedings will be reflected in the follow-up work and i look forward to that work. i look forward to your continuation of your efforts. i look forward to many of you having future careers in politics and public service. and i must tell you, above all, i hugely look forward to the next u.k. youth parliament annual general meeting, to which i hope i will be welcomed, and i hugely look forward as as far as i know i'm in good health, to chair your privileged proceedings again. thank you! cheers and applause]

>> order! . [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> a look back to events here in washington that led to government's shutdown. highlights of house debate and congressional briefings and insight from "the los angeles times," who covered the story. tonight at 8:00 eastern. at 9:00, we examine the life and legacy of jacqueline kennedy. international fame and the tragedy of a grieving widow. special two hours tonight on -span.

saturday on "washington journal," look of conservatives 2014 priorities and midterm elections, phillip klein from "washington examiner." how the other half still lives from sasha abramsky. >> we now have secular norms and theological norms that govern our acceptance or rejection of the ways in which a god or goddess can speak to people and what impact it has. branch davidian. david was saying he has the special insight into the baseball and these insights helped the other members of the community understand the bible particularly the book of revelation better and allows them to understand they are

living in the end time. well, that by itself doesn't seem to be a problem, but when it leads to other elements, then that trigger both law enforcement concerns as well as the popular press is concerned, then suddenly this idea of somebody listening to god and having them follow and do things , that is dangerous and needs to be policed and controlled. religion and professor argues that religious persecution has been going on in america, sunday night at 9:00 on "after words." part of c-span2 book tv. waited as he often did. he met with pennsylvania

governor curtain on november 14 and that's i think when lincoln realized he had to decide and did decide to go. he then probably on the night of november 17 just as he said to his old friend, the brother of his dear friend from springfield, lincoln told him that he wrote half of his speech and wrote the rest there. i think there is very good evidence that lincoln was not invited early and wrote the speech late. but he invited a lot of people to go and took care and attention over of his words once he knew he was going, but just because he didn't write it for two, three weeks. >> historians talk about events and circumstances surrounding lincoln's get is burg's address getties esident's -- burg address this weekend on

c-span3. >> this week on "q & a," former united states senate historian, richard baker discusses "the american senate." it was co-authored with the late journalest. >> richard baker, co-author of the american senate, a brand new book with -- how did you get together with neil mack neil to do the book? >> he is one of those figures who not only did he work as "time" magazine's chief congressional correspondent for 30 years and came to the hill in 1949, when he retired in the

mid-1980's, he went to work on what would be a quick one-volume history of the senate. he tried to finish it up and he came by our office on numerous occasions and we ended up getting in the habit and we had wonderful conversations. and near the end, he passed away in 2008. and it was clear he was probably not going to finish it. and so he was -- you know, he -- basically he said, okay, this is it. he had the oxford university press agreed to publish the book. sent it out the the viewers. i was one of the anonymous reviewers, got it, read it. this is going to be a 700-page book. didn't know when to start writing as happens with a lot of dedicated authors. and so my review said, this was a great book lurking in the 700 pages.