Have children in Sheffield predicted the outcome of the general election?

Voting in the Carfield Primary School general election. Bella Newell and Luke Damon cast their votes with candidates Jake Madey-Barnes and Tristan Condie

But the latest results should be taken with more than a pinch of salt, as they represent the opinions of under-11s in Sheffield.

A mock general election at Carfield Primary School in Meersbrook today ended in a thumping victory for Labour, who took 270 of the 439 votes cast. The Green Party pushed the Conservatives into third place, with the Liberal Democrats left trailing in fourth.

Youngsters at the school chose candidates and campaign managers to represent each of the four parties, and they picked four top policies from the relevant manifestos which they felt would appeal to young voters in the constituency.

Headteacher Lorna Culloden said every child was given a vote on Wednesday morning in an effort to teach children about democracy and get them to engage with politics from a young age.

"We wanted the children to appreciate the freedom that they have in this country and the power that they have too and that must not be under estimated," she added.

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