AMID fevered news coverage of the snap general election, we were encouraged to learn of the surge in young people registering to vote after the Prime Minister’s announcement. 

This interest in politics among 16-24 year olds mirrors The Reading Agency’s own research, out today, which also points to a growing political interest among young people. 

We found that 16-24 year olds are more likely than any other age group to turn to a book during times of political uncertainty.

Books are a companion through life’s ups and downs, and when it comes to emotional rollercoasters few things could compete with the last year in politics. 

Books have a huge role to play in our democratic society, providing access to ideas, different points of view and the opportunity to think creatively about our own rights and the rights of others. 

So it’s inspiring to see so many young people turning to reading for information, insight and reassurance during these uncertain political times. 

We hope that they will use World Book Night (23 April) as an opportunity to share these books with others. 

Our ambition is for thousands of people to recommend a book to someone who hasn’t yet got into the reading habit.

Sue Wilkinson
CEO
The Reading Agency