LABOUR will be will be supporting the motion in the House of Commons today calling for the age at which people can vote in UK elections to be reduced to 16.
We should recognise the importance of raising the participation of young people in politics. Allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote has a role to play in increasing involvement in the political process.
Low turn-out of younger people at elections might be addressed by engaging them earlier in the political process.
I wonder if the Tories and Lib Dems would have been so keen to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance if those affected could vote.
At the moment, from the age of 16 young people can give full consent to medical treatment, leave school and enter work or training, pay income tax and National Insurance, obtain tax credits and welfare benefits in their own right, consent to sexual relationships, get married or enter a civil partnership, change their name by deed poll, become a director of a company and join the armed forces.
I see no reason to add ‘vote’ to that list
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