What matters to young voters in Makerfield?
BBCWith just a few days to go until voters in Makerfield choose a new MP in a by-election, some will be heading to the polls to cast a Parliamentary vote for the very first time.
The by-election on 18 June is being held to choose a new MP, but it has also drawn national attention after sitting MP Josh Simons stood down to trigger the vote.
For students at Winstanley College, it comes just weeks after some voted for the first time in local elections and amid an unusual level of national attention on their area, including a BBC Question Time Makerfield special.
For many young and first-time voters, the experience is proving exciting.
"It's all quite sudden as you've had two back-to-back recently," says student Matthew about the pace of elections.
At the same time, there is a sense that Makerfield is rarely the focus of the political world.
"It's quite exciting feeling so relevant to national politics in a place that usually isn't really," Alex adds.
Fellow student Reece agrees, describing the by-election as "one of the biggest" and saying it feels "really exciting, especially as a new voter."
For others, the focus is less on the spectacle and more on what the vote represents.
"It's a good opportunity in a working class constituency like Makerfield to express our opinions," says Josh.
Across the group, economic concerns are front of mind.
Alex points to worries about job prospects, describing how they are "becoming 18 at a time when everything's pretty much going wrong for the economy", adding it is "getting harder to get jobs after you get your degrees".
The cost of higher education is another issue.
"My main concern is with tuition fees - how can politicians fix this from being a lifelong tax?" explains Josh.
Reece agrees but also highlights broader concerns. "I'd say tuition fees are a big one. But I'd say unemployment and underemployment among the young too," he adds.
While students say the attention on Makerfield can be positive, there is also a sense that some people locally feel overlooked.
"More people around here are probably quite fed up with what's going on and what their situation probably looks like at the moment," explains Matthew. "It's all about not making them feel like they've been left behind."
At the same time, there are signs of growing engagement among fellow young voters.
Reece says politics is "becoming more tailored towards young people now", but adds there is still more to be done to keep their age group involved.
For these first-time voters, this election is not just about choosing an MP, but having a say on what comes next.
"It's a big election - it could show us what our political future could look like for years to come," says Matthew.
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