Miliband presses Cameron over votes for 16-year-olds
ED Miliband is calling on David Cameron to bring forward legislative plans within weeks - well before the 2015 General Election - to enable 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in the 2016 Holyrood elections.
The Labour leader made the call as he reiterated his party’s formal commitment to change the law in the first session of the next Westminster Parliament, should it win the election, so that Britain’s 1.5 million young people can take part in all elections across the UK.
Labour, however, has gone further and made clear: “To avoid any delay and to ensure the new powers for votes at 16 are passed in time for the 2016 (Scottish) election, we are calling on the Government to bring forward a Section 30 Order to pass the power as soon as possible.”
The fear is that if the normal legislative process begins after the election, the new Scotland Bill could get bogged down in parliamentary procedures and not become law in time to enable Scotland’s 100,000 or so 16 and 17-yearolds to take part in the May 2016 Holyrood poll.
A Section 30 Order was passed by Westminster early last year to enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for the independence referendum.
“This is the best way to ensure we get the votes for 16 and 17-yearolds for the next Scottish parliamentary elections in 2016,” a senior Labour source said.
However, the only party leader who is standing out against the principle of giving the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds is David Cameron.
When asked about the issue following the Scottish independ- ence referendum, the Prime Minister said: “I’m not scared of it. I just think 18 is the right age for majority and the right age to vote. Voting is an enormous privilege and a right but it’s a right you should get at 18.”
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, was opposed to extending the franchise but, since her experience in the referendum campaign when she was impressed by the engagement from young voters, has changed her mind.