Date: 15th December 2004
Released by: ANDREW TURNER

The surgery will take place between 3.30 and 4.30 at the Crown in Union St, Ryde, and is specially designed to enable under-25s to walk in and lobby their Member of Parliament, raise with him issues of concern, or seek his views.

Mr Turner undertakes regular Saturday ‘walkabouts’, when he knocks on doors in towns and villages and makes himself available subsequently in a local pub, and also from time to time addresses public meetings and ‘Any Questions’ sessions and often visits local schools. But, he says, this is the first occasion he has specifically targetted young Islanders who don’t belong to any particular organization.

Mr Turner said,
“I have had constructive discussions with three Youth MPs, and hope to continue that pattern with Jack Cleary who has just been elected to the role. I meet members of the Youth Council from time to time, and I don’t want in any way to diminish the work they do. But different people operate in different ways, and the many who do not wish to commit to long-term engagement in politics are my constituents too. I don’t want to leave them out, and warmly invite them to drop in on this occasion, or to email or phone me whenever they have a matter they wish to raise.”