BVI’s Adrianne Thomas to Address UK Youth Parliament Today

Adrianne Thomas will represent the British Virgin Islands (BVI) today, Friday, 28 February, at the UK Youth Parliament in the House of Commons, London. Thomas is the first young person from the BVI to participate in the event. She is scheduled to speak at 12:10 PM UK time (8:10 AM BVI time).

The UK Youth Parliament consists of over 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11-18 from across the UK, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. These young leaders gather annually in the House of Commons to debate key issues affecting their generation.

This year’s topics include lowering the voting age to 16, providing free public transport for young people, and ensuring access to free period products in public spaces. Thomas was selected to speak after the first-ever “Make Your Mark” ballot was conducted during UK Parliament Week in December 2024.

Over 2,900 young people from the Overseas Territories participated in the vote, with “Education and Learning: school/college and access to university and apprenticeships” emerging as the top priority. Thomas will present her speech during a Special Segment, addressing the House from the Despatch Box.

Ahead of today’s event, the BVI London Office hosted the 2025 Overseas Territories Youth Summit on 27 February at BVI House in London. Organised by the UK Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) and chaired by BVI’s Malia Choucoutou, the summit focused on topics such as neurodiversity in education, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration. Participants discussed ways to create more inclusive policies and opportunities for young people in the Overseas Territories.

Tracy Bradshaw, the UK Representative to the Government of the British Virgin Islands and current Chair of UKOTA, described the summit as an important platform for young people across the territories to exchange ideas and explore ways to drive positive change. The UK Youth Parliament session will be streamed live with a 20-minute delay on parliamentlive.tv and YouTube, allowing viewers in the BVI and around the world to follow the debates.