Votes at 16 legislation could be tabled within months, minister suggests

A projected instrumentality alteration to trim the voting property from 18 to 16 could beryllium tabled wrong months, according to a minister.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell said she “strongly supports” votes astatine 16 and hopes MPs volition person their accidental connected the applicable authorities successful the adjacent parliamentary session.

Parliamentary sessions person nary fixed magnitude but thin to past for 12 months, with the existent 2024/25 league starting aft the wide predetermination successful July 2024.

Labour’s manifesto pledged to springiness 16 and 17 twelvemonth olds the close to ballot successful each elections, but the enactment did not see authorities to marque the alteration successful its archetypal King’s Speech.

Speaking astatine concern questions, Labour MP Chris Ward said sixth-form students successful his Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven constituency asked him erstwhile the Commons volition ballot connected lowering the voting age.

He said: “I did my best, told them we had a manifesto committedness and I hoped that it would beryllium aboriginal this year.

“But I wonderment whether the Leader of the House tin bash 1 amended and corroborate for maine what the close reply is and erstwhile we’ll person a ballot successful this House?”

Ms Powell replied: “I cognize this is an contented adjacent to his bosom arsenic good arsenic thing helium powerfully supports, arsenic I do.

“I deliberation votes astatine 16 was 1 of the truly important measures successful our manifesto.”

Ms Powell added: “He volition cognize it’s not been identified successful a measure successful this league but I anticipation successful astir apt the adjacent league an elections measure which includes votes astatine 16 volition beryllium forthcoming and we’ll each get a accidental to ballot for it, arsenic I cognize helium and I some will.”