Labour has reportedly planned to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote as one of its first steps if it wins the general election, in an apparent attempt to consolidate its grip on power.
The labor force is Said London Times The party is widely expected to take control of Downing Street in the general election on 4 July, which would likely see Sir Keir Starmer’s government consider lowering the voting age in England within a year of coming into power.
The move will add around 1.5 million teenagers to the electoral roll, the biggest increase in the electorate since Harold Wilson’s Labour government lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1969.
Confirming the planned changes on Saturday, Starmer told Sky News: “If you can work, pay tax and serve in the armed forces, you should be able to vote.”
“If you can work, pay taxes and serve in the military, you should be able to vote.”
Sir Keir Starmer has said he supports extending the voting age to 16. https://t.co/2UWb1ohTBI
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The move is likely to boost Labour voters, as less-informed young voters tend to support left-wing parties: A recent YouGov poll found Labour leading the Conservatives among 18-24 year-olds, 57% to 8%.
Patrick English, director of political analysis at YouGov, said: “In general, lowering the voting age would be expected to be an electoral advantage for Labour, as young people are significantly more likely to support Labour over the Conservatives or other parties.”
“But we also know that young people are the group of voters least likely to actually turn out to vote, so any advantage Labour has in terms of pure support among this potential demographic of young voters will be significantly reduced by their low participation at the ballot box.”
Mass Voting Megathread / What will voting intentions be like once the election campaign begins?
First, age: Age is once again a key factor in how people vote, with Labour currently leading in every age group except the over-70s.
Labour/Conservative votes by age group
18-24 years old: 57% / 8%… pic.twitter.com/5QDkP1hvvB— YouGov (@YouGov) May 24, 2024
While Labour has not formally committed to any policy changes, a Labour source said: Times“I would be very surprised if it wasn’t included in the King’s Speech setting out the government’s policy agenda.”
“It has the double benefit of costing almost nothing and helping to secure a second term for the Labor Party,” the source acknowledged.
Florence Eshalomi, a Labour MP and shadow minister for local government, supported the idea, saying: “Our elections are based on the fundamental principle that people who contribute to our country should have a say in how it is governed. Yet 16- and 17-year-olds remain unable to vote in elections in England.”
“Now is the time to end the erosion of our democracy and give the next generation a chance to shape their own future.”
However, the public as a whole do not support the measure, with YouGov reporting investigation The survey found that 37% of Britons support the idea of giving 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote, while 50% are opposed.
The survey found that opposition to the plan increases with age, with 60% of 50-64 year olds opposed and 69% of those 65 and over opposed.
“Rigging the electoral system”: British Labour Party vows to lower the voting age to 16 if it comes to powerhttps://t.co/lmdEoEcMPa
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 18, 2023
