Votes at 16
Posted by Richard Younger-Ross, MP for Teignbridge, at 13:32, Mon 21 April 2008:
Many thanks for the many impassioned responses that I received in relation to my last article regarding British Summertime and whether or not we should have “summer” time all year round.
There was almost an equal split in opinion between those who thought it would be a good idea and could cut accidents, to those who thought that it wouldn’t make much of a difference, and were happy for it to stay as it is.
This week, I would like to hear your opinions on the voting age, and whether it should be lowered to 16.
This is a subject which I regularly get questions on as I visit our local schools and colleges, and is one which often is debated in the House, whether in Private Members’ Bills or in Early Day Motions.
The issue has been raised again, and the MP for Cardiff North, Julie Morgan has brought forward a Private Members’ Bill saying that the voting age should be lowered to16 for all elections.
Voters in Austria and some places in Germany are able to vote at 16, and indeed some voters in the wider British Isles are already able to vote – in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Earlier this year; a large majority in the Welsh Assembly supported lowering the voting age.
Many youth agencies support the idea and believe that lowering the voting age will encourage democracy, and encourage people to get into the habit of voting. One of the arguments which is made is that at 16 many young people are starting to make real decisions about their lives and therefore they should be able to vote. However, if young people going to be required to stay in education until they are 18, does this argument still carry weight?
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this matter. As always, please email me your thoughts to yrossr@parliament.uk
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Posted by Martin, 15:48, Mon 21 April 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
I am less interested in this subject than I am in the fact that the government feels the need to spend 50BN pounds bailing out the banks at the expense of the worst paid people in the country, who are being given a tax increase at a time when they can't get a mortgage to buy a house.