London Editor
A Westcountry peer is pushing for the law to be changed to allow children as young as 16 years old to be given the vote in general elections.
Lord Paul Tyler, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall until 2005, has tabled legislation in the House of Lords to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds in all elections and referenda in the United Kingdom. The Voting Age (Comprehensive Reduction) Bill, which has just its first reading in Parliament, would extend the franchise with a simple amendment to electoral law.
The move follows an announcement last year that the Scottish Government will let 16 and 17 year olds vote in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.
Lord Tyler, ex-Lib Dem Shadow Leader of the Commons, said: "I have long supported votes at 16, but it isn't good enough for Scots young people to be heard, just once, on this vital question, and then ignored thereafter, and worse still that English, Welsh and Northern Irish young people will continue not having a say at all.
"What about the expected referendum on Europe? I visit sixth forms regularly, and find students there more engaged and knowledgeable about current affairs, the state of the world and the state of our country, than many of the older people I bump into here in the House of Lords. It is time to give them a say."
Lord Tyler's Bill is backed by Lord Adonis, former Labour Transport Secretary; Lord Lucas, former Conservative Government Whip; and Independent crossbench peer Baroness Young of Hornsey.
As a private member's Bill, the proposals are unlikely to become law unless the Government backs the idea – which appears unlikely.
In March, Downing Street rejected calls to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 despite the move getting overwhelming backing from MPs.
Lib Dem Stephen Williams, who led the debate, said cutting the voting age would be a "vital step in the renewal of Britain's democracy".
Tory MP Philip Davies dismissed the campaign as a "pathetic" attempt by MPs to appear "trendy" to win over young voters. David Cameron's official spokesman said at the time the Government had "no plans whatsoever to change the voting age".
