When Harold Wilson’s Labour government lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1969, the UK became the first major democratic country to do so. And although the topic has come up at various points since – not least after the 2016 EU referendum – it is only now, 55 years on, that it could actually be lowered to include 16- and 17-year-olds.
Now, if Sir Keir Starmer and his colleagues do in fact bring forward legislation in the next parliamentary session, as has been reported, the cynics – and the opposition – will likely view it as a move to secure more influence and votes, rather than a means to reflect the new age of adulthood in the UK. Others will also no doubt say that 16-year-olds aren’t ready for such responsibility – that they are children.
