Kenan Noori: The 15-Year-Old Rewriting the Rules of Politics

Automatically transcribed, so there may be the odd slip.

Alastair Greenerhello and welcome to the Alastair Greener Generationally Speaking podcast, where we look at bridging the generation gap by debunking myths, tackling stereotypes, and sharing practical tips on how we can build stronger intergenerational connections. And today I'm joined, uh, by someone who aims to redefine politics by implementing a new philosophy of political thinking. Purpose to remove ideological barriers and unite all central politics or, uh, in one party through his Nexus party. Oh, and by the way, he's just 15 years old. Welcome, Keenan Nori.

Keenan NooriThank you very much for having me on.

Alastair GreenerUh, well, it's great to see you and I know that you'll be an inspiration to many, um, just by the fact that you've been able to set up a political party at the age of 15. You know, that's quite, uh, quite a mission to accomplish. But I wanna start off by just saying, you know, at 15, how do you view yourself as a member of Gen Z? Would you say you are typical.

Keenan NooriUm, I wouldn't say that I'm very typical, no. However, um, I was watching one of your other earlier podcasts with, uh, a chap called Mark Saxby, and he began with asking the very brilliant question of, what is my generation, do you think, in your opinion.

Alastair GreenerGreat question, but yeah, you are. So you are Gen Z and that means that that's anybody you are, you are a younger Gen Z it's really from youngsters, from 1213 at the moment. This is in 2025. Um. to the, about the age of 27. And so you are about half and half. Some are in work and some are still in education. Um, the labels that have been attributed to Gen Z been entitled, um, they are. Possibly, um, asking a lot of questions and pushing the limits a little bit by, um, holding older generations to account. They are a very digital generation. You are digital native. Um, and I think some of the labels are very unkind and I think they're not, personally, I don't think they're particularly accurate, but I do think that you are a generation that, um. Generally you do live with technology. You know, you are a generation who are brought up with social media, with um, phones as just normal way of life, and likewise your access to information, but also you are a generation who are very keen to hold others to account, certainly when it comes to politics, when it comes to causes, and when it comes to environmental concerns. So how does that all resonate with you?

Keenan NooriIt resonates very much with me, and I'd say in terms of Gen Z, obviously looking at the bigger picture, you've said that it ends at age 27 and I'm kind of halfway in there, 15. And judging people when they're in their teens and when they're 15 years old, I think. It does tend to often, uh, mischaracterize them because we're obviously very young. We're still quite infantile. Let's, even though we're approaching the stage of being adults, but I think judging people when they're 15 I think doesn't really show the full picture of, uh, who they are, and you have to allow 'em to progress. However, at this current stage, I wouldn't say that I identify much with other 15 year olds. Uh, obviously because not many of them have expressed their desire and politics and the same desire and interest as I have, however, some people do, and I very much admire those people and I do have conversations with them. But overall, I'd say most 15 year olds, uh, do not identify with me and I don't identify with them, but we still do find common ground.

Alastair GreenerOkay, so what, what would you say are the differences and what's the common ground?

Keenan NooriThe common ground is that obviously we, we do spend a lot of time together and therefore we will kind of be um, uh. Desensitized to one another. So we're, we're used to being around one another. Um, however, obviously one of the differences is me being interested in politics and things that you would normally be exposed to further up if you would. For example, most people often ignite their political interest in political knowledge in university when they get involved with university unions and, uh, things like that. However, in terms of. Uh, commonalities. There is also you've stated that Gen Z like to ask many questions. They're very inquisitive. They like to help, uh, hold people to account, and I've drawn my page into doing that. For example, we've been very critical of the governments in the past for maybe belittling, uh, 15 year olds or children by not allowing them to express their views, which is one of the reasons why I open up Nexus.

Alastair GreenerWhere do you find that balance? Because you said earlier on about, you know, you are still young, you're still very much forming your own opinions. Um, some people refer to it as the plasticity of the brain, that the brain is still forming in many ways and, and you are still forming your ideas and your thoughts. So where do you get that balance with being. Able to express your opinions and holding other people to account and saying what you want, yet acknowledging that actually you are not fully formed in many respects.

Keenan NooriWell, on the respect that I'm not formed, I actually kind of disagree with that. So I do, um, view myself as having quite fully formed opinions because if you look at people, uh, who are in the upper age bracket and gen such as the 27 year olds, I think in terms of political acumen, I'm very much on par with 'em. So in terms of developing opinions and. Developing the knowledge, age doesn't really restrict that in, uh, many regards. For example, 15 year olds can be more knowledgeable on stuff such as, um, technology 'cause we are tech natives than, for example, people who are 40 or 50 because we've had more exposure to that. So in terms of having opinions, I think it matters more about the actual person and the single individual where you approach that, not looking at collectively.

Alastair GreenerAnd what about the, obviously life experience is something that you don't have a huge amount of yet, so you know, I'm guessing you are thinking, well, I make up for it in other ways. Um, what would those ways be?

Keenan NooriUh, those words obviously having a very inquisitive nature, which matches all Gen Z. So I obviously started my interest at politics at a very young age. A age, which I can't even remember. Um, and taking that interest and not only nurturing it, but also. Fostering it in an environment where there is knowledge around me and I can access that knowledge very easily thanks to the digital era, and thanks that we are tech natives. So I think in terms of offsetting life experience, I've done that by broadening my perspective of life instead of just having a very narrow. Uh, mindset. So I've exposed myself to different groups of people, different generations, the older generations as well. We've had many conversations with the older generation and their perspective to give me that extra boost and extra head start to life. So I'm more knowledgeable about what life, uh, has an offer and what life has an offered for me in in the future for me in.

Alastair GreenerSo Keenan, we're now joined by your father there, and, um, it, it's great that he's, uh, joining us because I really wanted to get a sense of you growing up. And Amir, when you, um, saw Keenan growing up and you saw him develop this interest, what was your first thought when you that your son was having maybe slightly different thoughts than maybe other children of his age?

Keenan NooriYeah. You know, first I'm surprised, you know, because all the kids, they're going like to games to have like a PlayStation as his twin brother. Um. Yeah, Xbox, but he, you know, going to like, to, uh, read the history and, uh, politics in b and about the old and, uh, every like, kind of, uh, historic and politics even when he's, you know, uh, nine years, 10 years, you know, I said, I don't know why he's, uh, you know, interested in that thing, you know, and other like his, his age. They're going to play in football or going to play in games? Uh, yeah.

Alastair GreenerAnd we should say that, um, you know, you're, you're just a, a, a regular family. You live. Just outside Swindon and Wiltshire. Um, you go to a regular school, Kenan, which I, I believe is in, in Rawton, and you know, Amir, did you, um, I, I understand, um, you came from Jordan,

Keenan NooriYeah, yeah. Yeah.

Alastair Greenerso, so, so when was that and what was it like setting up family in, in England?

Keenan NooriWe came in 2000, you know,

Alastair GreenerMm-hmm.

Keenan Nooriuh, after that, you know, I have faced twins, uh, boys, you know, in 2002, December, 2002. And in 2009 I have canan, you know? Yeah. And, uh, yes, it is good, you know, to have family here. You know, my, these two family, they live in Iraq and Jordan. Yeah.

Alastair GreenerAnd, you know, when you first came here, what was the, you know, the, the, the reaction to when, you know Keenan started showing interest in, in politics? What were your friends thinking? Uh, when they heard what he was doing?

Keenan NooriAll the friend they like, uh, exciting what he doing. I have some relation with doctors in London and Bournemouth. They, and, and, uh, my friend also her in Swindon, they support him and, uh, yeah, go up, uh, and, uh, everybody is happy.

Alastair GreenerWell, Amir, thank you so much for letting us, uh, speak to

Keenan NooriThank you very much. Thank you.

Alastair Greenerreally

Keenan NooriThank you.

Alastair Greenerall of your encouragement. So,

Keenan NooriAye. thank you Thank you. Thank you.

Alastair GreenerUh, so, so Keenan, it, it's wonderful that you've got such a supportive family in, in, in, in what you are doing. And when you started thinking about politics, what was the reaction from, from your friends at the time?

Keenan NooriSo I'm thankful to be surrounded by quite an intelligent group of friends there, and some of them even have expressed, uh, political views. And that means I can engage with like-minded peers, uh, of my own age, which really helped me foster my, uh, development in terms of political acumen. And that's also. Um, develops, uh, very positive environments around me, which an enables me to carry with politics as I have people who are like-minded with me to push me on and, um, engage normally with my, uh, developments and engage normally with my party. 'cause they see it as second nature.

Alastair GreenerWell, exactly. I mean, you, you, you sound, it does sound very secondary to you. You don't seem phased by anything whatsoever. You're, you're very, um, very clear on, on what you stand for. We're gonna talk a little bit about your policies in a while, but the first thing I wanna do is just understand your relationship with older people. you know, we took you, you mentioned and hinted earlier on. About the reactions sometimes that you might get from older people who wonder really, well, what have you got to say as a 15-year-old? So first of all, what is the reaction you get from older people? And then secondly, how do you then deal with that?

Keenan NooriSo first of all, I. State, um, first and foremost that the vast majority of the older people have expressed a very positive reaction, and especially obviously friends of my dad, as he stated, expressed a very positive reaction, but there was obviously a very small minority, which aims to cause trouble and the whereas my news coverages expanded, obviously more people have had their opinions on my party and. Some of the older generations have said, who is he to comment on the situation of the states. He's only 15, hasn't seen life. He's, you know, barely taking his GSEs. So on that front, uh, people have also come to defend me from the older generation and, and lot of my friends have also. Swiftly come to the defense of my party. Um, but the vast majority of older generations, uh, do express support for new ideas from the younger generations. 'cause they also see that nurturing the next generation of politics and politicians is very vital to ensuring that the country's stable and. I've also had, uh, a very small minority, but I minority have less than an organization of the laps of, um, old people joining the party and, uh, being part of the follower base, there is, uh, section of old people who, who have joined and expressed, uh, like, uh, familiarity with my ideas and my political agenda.

Alastair GreenerNow one of the stereotypes that goes around about Generation Z that they don't have much resilience. would say that you clearly defy that stereotype, but what would you say A, in terms of your own resilience and to people who say that Gen Z don't have resilience?

Keenan NooriTo people who say that Gen Z don't have resilience, those are people who are not part of Gen Z and people who do not interact with Gen Z often. And that's just a fact. 'cause if you have interacted with Gen Z such as me, you know that we are capable of doing many things. And I am an anecdote of that. We've established a political party, political movements, which has gained traction in media and with. Basis, not just in the uk but also in terms of Europe, uh, internationally, people have expressed support and it's unified people into having their say in terms of the, the democratic process on our political system and teachers as well. Their job is to bridge the gap between generations, so they're very, uh, knowledgeable. Group of people and sector in this regard. And they'll tell you that children are inquisitive, children do engage with others, and children are very open-minded and, and on the whole extroverted as well to other people into new ideas. So I find that arguments raised by some people who attack our generation is completely ill founded.

Alastair GreenerOkay. I love your strong feelings. This is good, good, good political stuff. Um, and just before I ask you about your policies, now, I'm gonna give you an opportunity to do a sort of like a, a one or two minute. Party political broadcast. So have that in the back of your mind in, in a moment. Um, but another thing that we know is different is the way that younger generations communicate. They communicate differently. They favor different platforms to older generations. So how do you reach older generations who might not be using the same platforms as you, or are you not using those younger generation platforms?

Keenan NooriSo in terms of younger generation pla uh, platforms, I do maintain a limited social media presence. Uh, for example, I have, uh, Instagram, uh, social media for my party. And uh, obviously that sort of interaction on the internet, including the website. However, um, one interaction, which I didn't. Fully, uh, appreciate you going into was TikTok. 'cause uh, there was a new story on TikTok, which covered my party, which reached around around 750,000 views. And all my friends were bombarding me into request, get TikTok, you'll be famous. Uh, but I just didn't want to enter that environment. And on that part, I think maybe I have limited my interaction with, uh, the younger generation. In terms of the older generation, however, I do interact with them face to face normally not just using, uh, platforms on online. However, when that isn't, uh, necessarily, uh, available, I do tend to use social media and there is some divide between our capabilities of using social media and how we can use it. Uh, but we've managed to bridge that. Divide. I like talking to older people as I talk with young people. There is absolutely no, uh, patronizing effect that I have. So to develop, uh, our knowledge of using social media to interact with each other. And I have talked with many older people, not just in my family, but uh, also friends of my dad, uh, to establish communication.

Alastair GreenerYeah, and it's interesting, isn't it, when it comes to communication, you, these days, you have to use multiple platforms if you're going to reach people because it, it, it's a more. Um, the, the message is harder to get out there these days because there are so many different methods by which you can do it. So one method to get your message out there is through podcasts like this. So I'm gonna give you your opportunity now to give me yours of, you know, one or two minute manifesto on the Nexus party. So when it comes to the next election, assuming I've got a candidate standing in my area, why should I vote for them?

Keenan NooriUh, uh, sorry, could you just repeat that, uh, last bit of audio since the audio did cut out? Unfortunately.

Alastair GreenerSo why should I vote for anybody in the Nexus party, assuming that they're standing in my local area, um, convince me in a one or two minute election broadcast why I should vote for Nexus. I.

Keenan NooriSo the majority of politics as we know now is based on pure ideology. There's only one stance, and the notion that one size fits all or one ideology fits all problems in politics is absolutely absurd. As we've seen different governments with different ideology have tackled problems. For example, we look at the new labor governments, and you look at the one Nation conservatives of the past and the Clement Atley government. Featuring different ideologies such as left wing socialism and right wing conservatism, or center right conservatism, uh, issuing more deregulation and privatization. We've seen that both of those have been successful. So the notion that one size fits all in politics, as we've seen with parties such as the conservatives, such as Reformed uk, you only embrace one ideology in one. Section of the political spectrum, uh, that's clearly false. As we've seen throughout history, different parties with different ideas and different ideologies can adapt to scenarios, and we've seen in terms of the electorate, the reason why no party stays in power forever is because they don't match the situation forever. The situation does change. For example, if the situation is in need for, uh, for public investment rights, wing parties are more wary of introducing more public investment. They want to issue savings such as the austerity savings of David Cameron. Whereas left wing parties do, uh, issue more favorable agreements towards public investments and investing more and borrowing more to invest into public services such as the NHS, such as the health service. So Nexus tends to bridge that gap by getting the best of policy from all across the spectrum, looking at what worked in the past, such as with One Nation Conservatism, with uh, Edward Heath and uh, McMillan. Into a fusion of all, uh, political policy of across the spectrum, whether it be centrist, whether it be center left, whether it be center right, whilst also pushing out the extreme ideologies, which are based on more or less emotion, more or less, a hatred of certain groups. Such as the far right, or such as the far left, which have seen little to no empirical evidence of their ideologies working. So we do realize that there has to be a fusion of ideas, a fusion of the electorate, a fusion of politicians to work together to see what the situation is, and to push out all bias of ideology and to push out the notion that one size fits all when it clearly doesn't, and the evidence shows that it doesn't, and diffuse them all. Based on where the state is, whether there needs to be an increase in prioritization, an increase in business support, uh, or whether there has to be an increase in, uh, public supports and public investment. We've managed to hit all of those areas. For example, we issue, uh, grants rollouts, uh, uh, to small, um, medium-sized businesses and small businesses in our manifesto. However, we've also. Push for more public interaction, more government, uh, interference within housing. We've issued a 100 billion pound housing initiative to make sure that the next generation and also home buyers first, uh, home buyers have the opportunity to own a house. And we also push for more radical, uh, redistribution of wealth whilst it also being controlled and measured and make sure that everybody. Has what they need and has the opportunities that they have. Whilst it's also supporting lower income people through stuff like welfare. And public services. We've planned a 10 billion pound investment into polyclinics, adding a new section to the NHS, which will help lots of people and also alleviate the stress of our health health workers, which would decrease around half of the outpatient cases in hospitals by facilitating new, new infrastructure and also giving incentives for the next generation to advance in areas such as medicine and to make that more attractive.

Alastair GreenerI think I've just about heard your time manifesto there. That was brilliant. In a couple of minutes, um, just, just extraordinary and congratulations for, you know, coming up with these quite specific policies and you, you are able to articulate it so well. Where did you develop that skill? How did you develop that skill? Because I think most people would probably agree there are a few 15 year olds who are able to speak quite as eloquently as you.

Keenan NooriSo being in politics politic, uh, politicians need to have a good, uh, public interaction needs, have good pr, they need to engage while communications. And having surrounded myself with, uh, media interactions. I've studied media interviews with politicians, you tend to, um, naturalize yourself with them, and you tend to know how to interact with the media. Which I have also developed with my own interaction with the media. 'cause obviously we've had, uh, quite a lot of, uh, news coverage, which I'm very thankful for. However, um, I've also kind of chucked myself into the arena, uh, by. Going to marches, going to political debates, going to political activities, whether I like it or not. 'cause eventually, whilst it may be uncomfortable at first, you need to get used to the fact that you have to be a good communicator to get your ideas out there. Otherwise, it'll just die like many other political parties have in the past. And I don't intend to go away in the under the sofa of history, if you like.

Alastair GreenerI don't think you're going away anywhere, anytime soon. So what's the trajectory for you, Keenan? Where, what's next? You, you said you, you're about to do your GCSEs and no doubt politics will be very much a part of that. And also going into your A Levels, um, what, what's the future hold for you?

Keenan NooriUm, the future holds for me, uh, medicine, hopefully to study medicine whilst also having politics as, uh, uh, an activity that I can actively engage in. Because one of the things that I've noticed, if you look at, um, successful politicians, they haven't all studied pp, which is politics, philosophy, and economics. At university, they haven't studied politics. We look at a real example. Shah Guevara, who was a Cuban uh, politician, maybe not the accurate route to go at 'cause he was a Marxist. However, nevertheless, he was a politician, a very successful one. So you don't have to study politics to be in, involved in politics. And that's what I've embraced. I. And seen throughout the next generation of politics. Certainly as 15 year olds, lots of us don't actively study politics officially within A levels or within university. However, we can still have opinions and you can still engage in open debate with experts who I've studied, and also be yourself an expert by embracing the the new technology which we have in embracing the internet to access resources by universities, accessing universities by. Uh, accessing material by, uh, institutions which have researched politics and research it yourself and have a firsthand account of politics yourself rather than just studying politics because. If you look at politicians, most people have the critique of, well, that is too outta touch. They don't know my problems. They don't know how to have a mortgage, they don't know how to own a house. 'cause they've been privileged, they've been entitled to everything they have, they've, they've gone to private schools, many of them have. Whereas if you do study medicine and do come up the hard way as, uh, it's now known, um, through the middle class and through the working class. That makes him more relatable as a policy. And I think that's very, very important in this day and age where it's more about communication and less about policy, which is I think, one of the negatives of the current political environments because we've seen members such as ni I, I, I won't talk about that much, but, uh, he's very much engaged in, in the communication aspect rather than policy aspects because he goes to the pub, he acts like a very nice individual, he interacts with the people. But obviously you dive down then that's a whole other topic run of the time, but I don't necessarily agree with them. But, uh, in terms of, uh, communication, I think that's, uh, very much a part of politics, whether we like it or not. And, uh, we have to play by the rules of politics, whether we like 'em or not. And one of that rule is communication.

Alastair GreenerAnd you are, you're absolutely right, and, and clearly my interest is in communication, but more specifically communication between generations. So just finally wrapping up here, Kenan. The, the big thing we know about politics is that it's not engaging young people, you know, as it should do, because they are the next generation, not just of people in business and in everything that we do, but also in terms of, um, politicians. would you do if it was, you were asked on, say, question time, um, about engaging different generations? How would you, as a manifesto, pledge, how would you bridge the generation gap when it comes to communication?

Keenan NooriSo first of all, I have to make an overarching statement. Policies are not made within five minutes of, of an interview. They are made of, uh, long periods of time, and I will give you a brief insight into that. And hopefully a policy in the making for the next manifesto. And that is to obviously interact normally. Just interact normally, do not, uh, belittle them. Do not interact normally of how you do with peers of your generation. 'cause that does come off as patronizing to members of my generations. And I have witnessed people become disenfranchised with politics because. Uh, politicians have interacted differently or belittled them or patronized them in some manner. And a good example of that would be new labor or um, one nation labor. In 2015, if I remember correctly, they targeted young women of the back then it was their millennials who were the youngest generation with a, uh, and it was young ladies who they were targeting 'cause they were very disenfranchised with the conservative campaign with a pink, uh, a baby pink van. Target the young generation, which is obviously very patronizing. 'cause that's, this fills the arena with a bunch of stereotypes that ladies love pink and you know, they're just little girls, which is obviously not correct. And, and that was proven to not be correct after the results of the 2015 election were announced because labor had their, had their raised handed to them in the, in the polite term. So in terms of engaging the next generation into politics and my generation into politics, it's to, uh, really push for organizations such as the youth sections of parties. We've seen Young Label or the young, uh, branch of the conservatives really push those into having. Um, their voice is heard in parliament and obviously, uh, there's been a momentum around the movement of giving 16 year olds the right to vote and lowering the minimum voting age. And that's obviously one area where you can, uh, make, uh, PP uh, people of this generation interact and policy making and policy engagement on another social is, uh, social issues that also interact with the. Generation of, uh, gen Z for example, education issues. 'cause we are in the education system and a lot of the people in Gen Z have their opinions on how to improve the education system. So speaking with them, not only on all issues, which I think is important to educate them, but on issues that matter to them, such as education, not necessarily. Macroeconomic such as inflation or productivity, maybe move away from that area of, uh, politics, but engage with them on social grounds. Engage with them on, uh, cultural grounds, which is seen a very, uh, big odence in politics and engage with them in terms of their educational needs and in terms of, uh, their development entering into college and entering into universities.

Alastair GreenerWow, what a great answer. Um, Keenan, you have got an absolute wonderful future ahead of you, um, both as a politician, and I wish you all the best with your medical career as well. Um, a a very interesting. In combination. Um, thank you to you and to your father, Amir, for coming on the, uh, on the podcast as well. Um, it's been an absolute pleasure talking to you. And if people want to find out more about Nexus, how do they do it?

Keenan NooriUh, you can visit our Nexus website, which is nexus party.com, or just type in Nexus party in the search bar and it should come up as first result. We also have an Instagram page up and running at Party Nexus, so feel free to follow that and become engaged and please do cite your opinions.

Alastair GreenerAnd maybe even TikTok in the Uh, may, maybe it takes in the future. Currently not, not, not currently, but maybe in the future I will open up to that arena. Keenan, thank you so much. You've given us a brilliant insight into Gen Z and also your views on politics and the future. It's been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much, and thank you very much indeed for listening, uh, to another podcast here at Generationally Speaking. Uh, we are back every two weeks, so we'll see you soon. Bye for now. The Alastair Greener Generationally Speaking podcast was presented by me, Alastair Greener. It was recorded at Granary Studios and produced by James Jones. Please follow us and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. To find out more, visit generationally speaking.co.uk.