Votes at 16 is a vital part of engaging young people in the EU referendum

On this day 87 years ago the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act came into law. It allowed women to vote at 21, the same age as men. Looking back, the arguments against women voting seem bizarre. Yet many of the same arguments are currently being used against 16 and 17-year-olds being given the vote, with naysayers arguing that they are irresponsible, incapable of taking decisions, and even that young people should be kept ‘innocent’ of politics.

These negative arguments forget, of course, that in many respects 16 and 17-year-olds are already legally considered to be adults in the UK. They can get married or enter a civil partnership, join the army, become a director of a company, and pay income tax.

The Scottish Referendum set a precedent in allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote. This showed that young people have the maturity, intelligence and responsibility to make these momentous decisions about their futures. The level of engagement of 16 and 17-year-olds in the Scottish Referendum was incredibly positive, and proved that Labour was right to have been campaigning for them to have the vote for a number of years.

With the looming European Referendum, the issue of votes at 16 has risen to the surface once again. I’m appalled that last month in the House of Commons, Conservative MPs voted against letting 16 and 17-year-olds have their say on the future of our country. But the fight’s not over yet. I will be working with the British Youth Council, the UK Youth Parliament and members of Young Labour to support Labour Peers in the House of Lords to bring amendments to the bill to allow votes at 16.

As the South East’s Labour MEP, I’m proud to be launching my campaign for the UK to stay in the EU this week – and will put votes at 16 right at the heart of it. I want my campaign to engage people with the EU, and this has to include young people. After all, the decision whether or not we leave the EU won’t just affect the next 5 years: it will affect the next 50.

87 years ago we gave women the right to vote at the same age as men. Now let’s recognise the contribution that 16 and 17-year-olds make to our society – whether it’s as apprentices, students or in our armed forces – and give them the right to vote in this momentous referendum.