{"id":1856,"date":"2018-05-11T10:54:42","date_gmt":"2018-05-11T09:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.electoral-reform.org.uk\/?p=1856"},"modified":"2018-05-25T15:55:10","modified_gmt":"2018-05-25T14:55:10","slug":"with-cross-party-support-we-can-secure-a-fair-franchise-for-young-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electoral-reform.org.uk\/with-cross-party-support-we-can-secure-a-fair-franchise-for-young-people\/","title":{"rendered":"With cross-party support, we can secure a fair franchise for young people"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Today MPs will debate a bill which could step our democracy up a gear.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr Peter Kyle\u2019s Representation of the People (Young People\u2019s Enfranchisement)\u00a0Bill\u00a0<\/a>would extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds.<\/p>\n

But whereas many bills brought to the House by opposition members are destined to fail, this one just might be different.<\/p>\n

The reason is the impressive list of supporters which appear on the bill.<\/p>\n

Backers include Conservative MPs Nicky Morgan and Sir Peter Bottomley, the Green MP Caroline Lucas, and a number of Labour MPs.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Conservative MPs Nicky Morgan and Sir Peter Bottomley, the Green MP Caroline Lucas, and a number of Labour MPs all support extending the franchise <\/a><\/span>Click to tweet<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The SNP and Plaid Cymru are also longstanding Votes at 16 supporters, and Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb is also on the list of names.<\/p>\n

Votes at 16 and 17 is a policy which the Electoral Reform Society has supported for some time. When turnout is as low as it is in the UK, the benefit of creating a voting habit from a young age is obvious.<\/p>\n

Many of those who had doubted the merits of extending the franchise have had their view changed by the experience in Scotland where 16 and 17-year-olds are already entitled to vote in local elections and Scottish parliament elections.<\/p>\n

And they also played their part in the Scottish independence referendum campaigns, when again they were able to vote.<\/p>\n

People who watched the campaign reported the maturity<\/a> with which they engaged with the issues, and the figures around turnout<\/a> were strong. It forms part of the solid evidence that when this age group is able to take part in politics, they do.<\/p>\n

What we are left with however is a strange democratic anomaly whereby 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland can vote in some elections, but not all.<\/p>\n

Equally, their counterparts in England are denied the vote while watching their peers in Scotland enjoy this basic right.<\/p>\n

Today marks Dr Kyle\u2019s bill\u2019s second-reading. And while it is still a long way from becoming legislation, we hope politicians from all parties will let young people take their rights as citizens and join the debate.<\/p>\n

There is growing momentum for a fair franchise \u2013 among people of all ages. Let\u2019s embrace it and step our democracy up a gear.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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