North Devon Youth MP Tymek speaks in the House of Commons

Tymek Kiliszek, a youth MP for North Devon, West Devon, and Torridge, got the chance to speak in the House of Commons.

He was elected in March 2022 by other young people. MYPs (Member of Youth Parliament) work around the constituency as well as at a national level.

On Friday, November 17, Tymek and other MYPS in the UK went to the annual sitting in the House of Commons.

Since 2009, nearly every year, the UK youth parliament has had a sitting where they speak about issues that affect young people. This year, they debated about the campaign ‘food for learning’.

There were five topics, and at the end, the youth representatives would have the chance to vote on the topic they wanted. These topics were: Holiday Hunger, Food Quality, Finance and Funding, standardisation, and additional pricing. At the end, the topic that won was finance and funding.

Tymek Kiliszek got picked by the second speaker of the sitting (Dame Rosie Winterton). Tymek spoke about the topic of additional pricing, which included child poverty in and out of school and how some children might need more than others.

He also added that the government needs to give more funding for the housing and cost of living crisis in his speech and poverty in North Devon. In his speech, he said, ‘Millions can’t get a mortgage, afford rent, or find a suitable home’ and ‘in some areas of my constituency, the number of people in poverty approaches one third, and I know people are struggling in my area. He also criticised how the conservative government spends money on plans: ‘millions spent on scrapped plans’.

Tymek said: "What an experience it has been to go to the House of Commons. I loved seeing people all around the UK speaking about their experiences and the people inside their constituents. I am even more happy to represent North Devon, West Devon, and Torridge. I will continue to do my campaigns in North Devon’.

Tymek has worked on multiple campaigns. such as his 21/21A bus change petition so that people who take public transport from Exeter to Barnstaple can catch buses from the train station to Braunton, West Down, Ilfracombe, etc. This is a simple change from changing the 21A bus to the 21 bus to go to Ilfracombe. He has gotten the attention of the managing director for Stagecoach SW. The petition has over 200 signatures.

He also campaigns for better bins and the reopening of the Barnstaple bus station toilets, which he says is ‘embarrassing and disgusting behaviour from North Devon council for not bothering to open it’.

Tymek also volunteers at events in his hometown of Ilfracombe. He has also gone to events and met influential people. For example, after meeting the archbishop of Canterbury a few weeks prior last year, he planted a tree for the queen’s canopy. He has also met the MP for North Devon, Selaine Saxby.