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Labour should push for 16 year olds to get a vote in the 2014 Euro elections

October 16, 2012 4:21 pm

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News this week that 16 and 17 year olds will be voting in the Scottish independence referendum has again ignited an interesting and important debate. As we take stock and the Policy Review evolves, we need to recognise that the ground has shifted. A formal ballot due to take place north of the border with an extended franchise effectively changes the terms of this debate and Labour must recognise this.

Significant credit must go to Young Labour and others who successfully steered a proposal for votes at 16 through the National Policy Forum process, securing a 2010 manifesto commitment to a free vote on the issue in Parliament.

My view on votes at 16 has been mixed. I have been swayed by arguments in favour but also by concerns against, and often by points made by 16 and 17 year olds themselves. My general ambivalence on the issue probably ultimately gives way to an instinct in favour. I have always argued for a greater say for young people in politics and society and votes at 16 seems a logical step towards this.

The arguments in favour of votes at 16 are strong. Parity between the right to vote and other entitlements and responsibilities, such as paying tax, is something those championing the cause point to. However, we should also see the question of lowering the voting age within the context of a debate about the condition of democracy and the political system. This is the big challenge facing this generation of politician and activist.

Our democracy is not in good shape: electoral turnouts too low, political party membership remains distinctly unfashionable and the general view towards politics and politicians is far from universally positive.

The British political system needs a kick-start towards recovery.  Votes at 16 will not be a magic solution to all that is wrong with our political system, far from it, but we should be prepared to give it a go. We should extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds for the 2014 European Parliament elections. European elections do not attract the highest of turnouts, more the reason to extend the franchise for these ballots. In previous years we have seen European elections used to trial all-postal ballots. In 2014 these contests should be an opportunity for votes at 16.

The government should have had the foresight to introduce votes at 16 for this November’s police and crime commission elections. This may have led to turnouts a notch or two higher than the awfully low predicted numbers.

The current voting age for European elections is 18 but we should push for the law changes needed to permit voting at 16 and 17 in member states that want to extend their franchise at these ballots.

The 2014 European elections are important, not least given current debates about our relationship with the EU. These elections could also be an important milestone in settling the question of votes at 16. As part of our efforts to rebuild politics and with our commitment to listen to and empower young people, Labour should make the case for votes at 16 in the 2014 elections

Rory Palmer is a councillor in Leicester and is a member of Labour’s National Policy Forum representing the East Midlands. He writes in a personal capacity.

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  • Chilbaldi

    Not for me. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that 16 year olds should get the vote. I know what me and my friends were like at 16. I’m hardly informed enough to vote now, never mind age 16.

    Can someone please find the voluminous list of countries who let people vote at this age. I think there’s about 3.

  • RBPT

    The case for votes at 16 is not strong
    - You cant drink or smoke until you are 18
    - You cant marry or join the army without parental consent until you are 18
    - The ‘no taxation without representation’ argument is invalid as only a tiny proportion of 16 and 17 year olds pay tax and even if voting ages was reduced to 16 there’d still be a small number of under 16s paying tax
    - Soon it’ll be compulsory to be in education or training until you are 18

    Votes should be for adults. Unless we lower the age of majority. Votes should be for those aged 18 and above

  • charles.ward

    “Parity between the right to vote and other entitlements and
    responsibilities, such as paying tax, is something those championing the
    cause point to.”

    I don’t find the tax argument very convincing as a 5-year-old who spends their pocket money on a DVD pays VAT.  No one is saying that they should have the vote.

    Given that there is a push to keep everyone in education till they are 18 it seems absurd that we would be moving the voting age in the opposite direction.

    If I were a cynic I would point out that there may be a political benefit to the Labour party in having more voters that have little experience of working and paying tax but a lot of experience of state funded services and indoctrination by the overwelmingly left-wing teaching profession.

    • Brumanuensis

      You may mock Charles, but fellow LabourList commenters should be aware that when I last visited a secondary school in Birmingham, there was a striking* amount of Soviet propaganda on the walls – the usual socialist realist stuff, fairly derivative to be honest – and the headmaster (‘headperson’, I should say; sorry Harriet!) kept calling me ‘comrade Brumanuensis** ‘.

      The canteen was permanently closed too. Bloody central planning.

      *Eh? Eh? Did you see what I did there? I’m such a wit.

      **Well, not exactly, but you get my drift. Also, everyone wore fur hats. That might just have been because it was January though.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/QDMFX65KM5STSAFHAC4FOLFTO4 fran

    Rory speaking as a Scottish voter I support the vote for 16 and 17 year olds and IMO the extension of the franchise is a historic achievement on behalf of the Scottish govt which is an example to the rest of Uk. However, up here in Scotland you won’t get one Labour politician or party worker to accept or recognise the democratic value of anything that is brought forth by the SNP. It’s opposition for opposition’s sake even when the said reform reflects natural Labour values and territory. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs for a party whose whole existence can be linked to historic extensions of the franchise at significant points in UK history. In the context of political campaigning I can understand why Scottish Labour want to  play down SNP successes in for example the delivery of free universal public services but surely on issues of democratic principle they are big enough to share a platform with their politcal rivals and grasp the democratic mettle. You have so why can’t your colleagues ?     

  • JoeDM

    We should not be trying to politicise school children.   They have the rest of their adult lives to get frustrated and annoyed by the utter stupidity of those that think they know best.

  • Brumanuensis

    Hm, I think Nelson Jones made a better point:

    http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/nelson-jones/2012/10/paradox-giving-16-year-olds-vote

    “In such a context, offering 16 year olds the “adult” responsibility of voting looks patronising at best. At worst, it looks like a devaluing of the whole idea of the vote. As a matter of principle, excluding younger, economically active taxpayers people from the rights and responsibilities of citizenship is less defensible than excluding those who are playing much less part in adult society. A paradox indeed. But is a vote every five years really much compensation for the loss of the independence and trust they once enjoyed? Or, to put it another way, if adolescents can be trusted with a vote, why shouldn’t they be trusted with a penknife?”

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/HAB3SN2AOOCSGD5KQ7HIXPIG5U Jonathan

    so the ‘born yesterdays’  are now a key target demographic.

  • Alexwilliamz

    How about we work out how to encourage 18-25 year olds to vote in decent numbers before widening participation? What would be on offer to 16-17 year olds to make them vote more than those a little older?

  • MonkeyBot5000

    You can’t say that someone is old enough to decide the future of the country if they’re  not old enough to buy alcohol, tobacco or knifes.

  • williamtheconker

    The uninformed voting for the unelectable?
    And surely the EU won’t allow UK votes at 16 unless all the other dependencies – oops! Countries – in the EU do the same?

  • Dave Postles
  • Dave Postles
  • http://twitter.com/KulganofCrydee Kulgan of Crydee

    Why are people advocating for Votes for 16 year olds for the Euro Elections? Surely it should be 16 for all elections, not some.  Do we as a society want 16 to be the 18? Do we reduce age at which one can purchase alcohol or drive a car for instance.  You can join the Army at 16 but you cannot serve on the Frontline until 18 (although there have been a couple of instances by a number of days).   My thoughts are that 18 is a sensible compromise.  

  • Brumanuensis

    William, there’s no requirement for a uniform voting age in the EU for national elections.

    • williamtheconker

      There will be Bru, there will be ……………………..

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