THE Assembly Member for Delyn has held a meeting with the elected Prime Minister and serving Parliament Members at a Flintshire School.

Hannah Blythyn AM met with children from Ysgol Merllyn in Bagillt – including the recently elected school Prime Minister Megan Carrington – to discuss their priorities for their constituents and the changes they intend to make.

Ysgol Merllyn’s Headteacher, Tracy Jones, said: “The school parliament were thrilled to meet Hannah during her recent visit and asked questions about what it’s like to be an Assembly Member.

“The children also took the opportunity to ask questions about current political issues such as Brexit.”

Ysgol Merllyn holds a general election within the school each year, complete with full campaigns and candidate manifestos, before fellow pupils take to the polling booths to vote for their preferred Prime Minister.

With Megan Carrington winning this year’s election, Hannah Blythyn AM was able to congratulate her in person for her achievement.

The Assembly Member for Delyn said: “I am a big fan of the Ysgol Merllyn School Parliament, which every year brings democracy to life with a general election.

“This is an excellent hands-on way to teach the children about how representative democracy works as well as being a fantastic confidence boost for those who run in the election.”

Hannah Blythyn’s visit to Ysgol Merllyn comes at a time when engaging young people in democracy has recently been hotly debated topic at the National Assembly for Wales.

The first stage of the Senedd and Elections Bill passed through the Assembly earlier this month, which will extend the right to vote to 16 and 17-year olds in Welsh elections.

Hannah Blythyn voted in favour of extending the franchise to 16-year-olds, with the members of Ysgol Merllyn School Parliament also in favour of doing so.

The Delyn AM has visited every secondary school in the constituency and held an annual Democracy in Action Day to promote political engagement in an attempt to open up politics to young people.