Government ministers are set to announce plans today to extend voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds in England. This would represent one of the most significant overhauls of the electoral system in years, granting over a million additional people a voice in the country’s governance.
Have your say! Should 16 and 17-year-olds get the right to vote? Will this improve apathy towards politics amongst young people? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
Keir Starmer, announcing the move, told ITV News: “I think it’s really important that 16 and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they’re old enough to go out to work, they’re old enough to pay taxes… I think if you pay in you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on.”
At present, only those aged 18 or over can vote in a general election across the UK, but 16 and 17 year olds can vote in local elections in Scotland and Wales, according to the Mirror.
The initiative was one of the Labour party’s general election promises and is part of a broader package of measures aimed at bolstering British democracy.
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner stated: “For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline.
“We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give sixteen year olds the right to vote.”
“We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future.”
The government is set to extend voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds as part of a broader initiative that includes clamping down on foreign donations to political parties via shell companies. In an effort to uphold election integrity, there will be stiffer penalties with fines up to ÂŁ500,000 for those flouting the rules.
At present, any UK company can donate to political parties, no matter the source or ownership of the funds.
In addition, UK-issued bank cards and veterans’ cards will soon be valid forms of identification at polling stations, responding to concerns that Voter ID requirements are turning away too many potential voters.
Have your say! Should 16 and 17-year-olds get the right to vote? Will this improve apathy towards politics amongst young people? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
