Sam is youngest candidate - at 18

Sam Pennington - youngest candidate

AT 18, Sam Pennington is Oldham’s youngest election candidate this year.

The Oldham Sixth Form College student is standing in the Failsworth West ward for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition — a party he chose to support because, he says, it stands out from the rest.

“I joined the Socialist Party this time last year because, as far as I could see, the three major parties mostly have the same views, they just go about them in different ways,” said Sam, who is studying for A-levels in politics, history and sociology and hopes to study politics and sociology at Sheffield University.

Sam, from Failsworth, comes from a family with trade union links. Several family members have been union representatives while working on the oil fields off the coast of Aberdeen.

“My lecturers have been really supportive about it and my friends are impressed I’m standing as a candidate,” added Sam.

“I’m keen to get into politics as a career so I thought this was a good opportunity. Also I can offer a different, younger point of view to some of the other candidates. You can only change things if you get involved and give it a go.”

If elected, Sam would be honouring a Greater Manchester tradition of young politicians. Oldham Council leader Jim MacMahon became a councillor at the tender age of 23 and Trafford Council leader Councillor Sean Anstee is the country’s youngest council leader at 26.