SCHOOLKIDS and teenagers in London’s East End have voted for their new Youth Mayor—putting adults to shame in the process.

They turned out in force to vote in 15-year-old Nahimul Islam, from Raine’s Foundation Secondary in Bow, as their fifth mayor.

He beat 17 other candidates with a turnout of 52 per cent—double the number of adults who voted in October’s first-ever election for Tower Hamlets Mayor.

The results announced at the Town Hall last night gave Nahimul 23 per cent of the votes, well ahead of his opponents.

“The youngsters put us all to shame,” said a Town Hall spokeswoman. “More than half of those eligible to vote took part in the poll, doubler the number voting for the Mayor.

“Nahimul was quite well organised campaigning with leaflets and a good team of supporters.”

He ran with an election manifesto to improve community cohesion, raise exam attainment and reduce the number school-leavers on the dole who are not in further education or training.

Nahimul, from Wapping, who received his chain of office from outgoing Young Mayor Landry Adelard, got 1,277 ‘first choice’ votes from the 8,710 ballot papers, then went on to win in the ‘second preference’ round.

His two deputy young mayors are Tasmina Khanum, 16, from Central Foundation Secondary, and Nadeem Miah, 15, from Stepney Green Maths College.

The count was supervised by the Town Hall’s electoral services department with the result declared by Tower Hamlets chief executive Kevan Collins, as returning officer, from the polls carried out earlier in the week in Ideas stores, youth clubs and schools.