Lowering the voting age and improving their public behaviour is the only way politicians can beat apathy among young voters, a youth action group has claimed.

The British Youth Council has dismissed the efforts by the three main parties saying Britain's politicians have ignored young people because there is no electoral capital for them.

"Apart from the negative use of the yob culture - which all the parties have been guilty of - there is never anything positive said about young people," Louise King of the British Youth Council said.

Young people have featured in the campaign although this has not always been done in a positive way. The Conservatives' election broadcast portrayed youths setting fire to cars and drug dealing.

"There are not sufficient reasons for them to vote. They are not going to bother until they believe they are being taken seriously," King said.

She also pointed to MPs conduct outside the House. "The scandals over MPs conduct have not helped. Politicians are not seen as figures to aspire to," King said.

The Youth Council's remarks are backed up by two surveys that show interest in the political parties among new voters is waning.

A survey for Radio 1, which found only 45 per cent of 18-25-year-olds, intends to go to the polls.

If this holds true then less than 1.5 million under-25s will turn out. By comparison, as many people from the same age group are expected to vote in the polls for the new series of Channel 4's "Big Brother".

The think-tank Demos, found that young voters were sceptical about the ability of politicians to deliver their promises. Half the respondents said Labour's decision to use Geri Halliwell in its party political broadcast "trivialised important issues". Education was seen as the most important election issue among 15 to 21-year-olds.

King adds that one party leader in particular should know better. "William Hague thought he was old enough to matter at 15 to stand on the Conservative Party's conference platform and give a speech. Perhaps he's forgotten that," he said.

All three of the main parties have fallen over themselves to prove they are the pensioner's friend devoting valuable press conferences to launch manifestos "for older people".

According to statistics one in four voters are elderly people - and they are more likely to vote.

In simple terms the party strategists are playing a crude numbers game. Having decided that the young are apathetic they will not waste time on targeting the 18-24 age group.

Labour denies it is ignoring a part of the electorate. "We're focusing pretty heavily on education which affects every young person and is vital to them. Our citizenship proposals includes promoting the importance of voting," said a Labour spokesman.

When confronted on the issue at a Milbank press conference, Tony Blair said the government's economic record should encourage first-time voters.

"For young people what could matter more: a strong economy where there is a better chance of buying a home," he said.

A spokesman for the Conservatives admitted that although they had launched manifestos for pensioners and business, party strategists had planned no similar event.

"We have put out a leaflet, 'Your chance, Your vote' specifically aimed at first time voters. It gives details of how our policies could help them - such as ruling out top-up fees," said a spokesman for the Conservatives.

Lembit Opik, for the Liberal Democrats, said that the only solution for young people was to turn out on mass which would force the political parties to acknowledge them. "Young people should vote precisely because they are not featured in the Conservative or Labour agenda.

"The other parties offer weasel words but with the Lib Dems there is action on issues like tuition fees. They should be entitled to the same wage as other people and not be discriminated against," he said.

Opik said that ultimately apathy among young voters was playing into the hands of people who did not want to do anything for them. "To be blunt, if young people think the voting age should be lowered to 16, they should say so at the ballot box. There's enough young people to shake up parliament but they've got to get off their backsides and do something about it."

The British Youth Council said the solution could be to lower the voting age. "We are actively campaigning for the voting age to be lowered to 16. If you're 16 you can join the army and pay tax but you can't vote," said King.