UK’s youngest MP hits back at critics who say he ‘doesn’t have any experience’ to do the job
8 July 2024, 09:27 | Updated: 8 July 2024, 09:39
The UK’s youngest MP has hit back at critics who say he ‘doesn’t have any experience’ to do the job.
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Labour's Sam Carling, 22, was elected in Cambridgeshire North West as Sir Keir Starmer swept to power in a landslide victory that created the largest majority government in 25 years.
Mr Carling is the first MP to be born after the millennium and is the new "baby of the house" of Commons.
Despite plaudits for his ambition, however, Mr Carling has already hit out at critics who say he "doesn't have any experience" to do the job.
"No one has yet been able to explain to me why being older makes you better at the job," Mr Carling told the BBC.
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The 22-year-old added that he has "a lot of experience that older MPs just won't."
He added: "I've been renting insecure housing in the private sector for quite a while now. That's an issue facing not just young people, but people all across the age spectrum.'And it's something that I intend to do a lot of work on now that I'm in Parliament.
"I always get a little bit frustrated when people mention life experience because no one has yet been able to explain to me why being older makes you better at the job.
"I've done quite a lot for my age as well. I mean, I've been a councillor for a couple of years and a cabinet member responsible for about £17million of public money over the last year.
"I've been a trustee of a university, and I've done a lot of other things that perhaps wouldn't necessarily be typical for someone of my age."
Speaking after his election win on Friday, Mr Carling said Labour had "a whole host of issues to deal with".
He said Labour must "get to grips with" a lack of dentists and NHS staff "who are dreadfully overworked" and work towards "fixing rural transport".
The youngster added it would be "interesting" to see what his generation do with politics, adding: "I think a lot of people have only ever been conscious of a Conservative government.
"I would argue we can make significant changes and offer a better alternative, and hopefully engage more young people in politics."
