VOTES AT 16

Early day motion 801, tabled 19 October 2005 by Diana Johnson (Labour). Signed by 109 members.

That this House believes that the time is right to lower the voting age to 16; recognises that at 16 and 17 young people's lives are as rich and varied as at any other age, that they have considerable responsibilities that routinely involve making complex decisions and that are unrecognised in their current democratic rights, that many youth-led organisations have been campaigning for the voting age to be reduced, and that lowering the voting age could play a huge role in helping young people feel more connected with political processes which would strengthen local and national democracy and is the next logical extension for citizenship education; and calls on the Government to use the Electoral Administration Bill to legislate to lower the voting age to 16 for all public elections in the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 47, Liberal Democrat 46, Scottish National Party 6, Conservative 4, Plaid Cymru 3, DUP 1, Respect 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.