Already a disabled youth voice representative and accessibility advocate, 15-year-old Mikey J Marsden is standing for election to the UK Youth Parliament.

Mikey is a student at Cockburn School in Beeston and last year became ill with an incurable disability called Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS). PoTS is a dysfunction of the body’s autonomic nervous system, which controls the things we don’t think about, like food digestion, body temperature, and blood vessel dilation.

“When someone without PoTS stands up, their blood vessels dilate, meaning their blood stays in their brain, where it’s needed, but when someone with PoTS stands up, their heart rate shoots up and their blood pools in their lower body, causing dizziness, fainting, and fatigue” explains Mikey.

“It also comes with a wide range of other symptoms like brain fog, digestive issues, temperature problems, and chronic pain — making everyday life unpredictable and really challenging. Since my diagnosis of PoTS, I realised how inaccessible basic necessities like education, transport, and healthcare are for people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), so I joined the Leeds SEND Youth Council, Yorkshire and Humber SEND Youth Alliance, the NHS Leeds Youth Board, and even the ABRSM Youth Advisory Board, where I lead the accessibility focus group.”

Mikey now wants to advocate for young people with SEND as a Member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) and has won through to a six strong shortlist to represent Leeds.

An MYP is a young person aged 11-18, elected to represent their peers in UK Youth Parliament. MYPs advocate for the views of their peers by participating in debates, engaging with decision-makers, and campaigning for social change. They represent young people nationally, regionally, and sometimes even internationally, and meet at annual conferences and other regional and local meetings, including annual House of Commons sittings.

Voting opened on today (31 October 2025) at 9am and closes on Friday 21 November at 5:00pm and open to anyone who is aged 11-18 and lives or studies in Leeds.

You can read Mikey’s manifesto in full on his campaign website at mikeyjmarsden.carrd.co and you can cast your vote here.

 

While you’re here, can we ask a favour?

South Leeds Life is published by a not-for-profit social enterprise. We keep our costs as low as possible but we’ve been hit by increases in the print costs for our monthly newspaper which have doubled in the last two years.

Could you help support local community news by making a one off donation, or even better taking out a supporters subscription?

Donate here, or sign up for a subscription at bit.ly/SLLsubscribe