Hull MP backs lower voting age

Diana Johnson MP is backing a renewed drive to lower the voting age to 16.

The Hull North MP met Tom Astell, the East Riding of Yorkshire Member of the UK Youth Parliament, to sign a pledge of support for the Votes at 16 campaign.

Diana Johnson MP has also shown her support for the campaign by becoming an official supporter on the campaign's new interactive website at www.votesat16.org.uk.

There are over 1.5 million 16 and 17 year-olds in the UK currently denied the vote. Young people, organisations and a network of politicians are part of a UK wide campaign calling for the voting age to be lowered.

The campaign website is run by the Votes at 16 Coalition, a group of over 50 youth and democracy organisations, who are steered by the British Youth Council, The Co-operative, the Children's Rights Alliance for England, the National Union of Students and the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Diana Johnson MP said: "Votes at 16 is far more important to modernising our democracy and promoting fairness than the proposed change to the way votes are counted in General Elections.

"In supporting lowering the voting age to 16, I want to encourage young people into taking part in our democracy as active citizens. Among much else, 16 and 17 year olds work, pay employment-related taxes and can join the armed forces. It is therefore unfair that they cannot also play a role in electing those who set tax rates and who can take the country to war.

"Young people should have democratic rights that match their responsibilities. The opportunity to vote from 16 is a logical extension of the citizenship education introduced by Labour and the recent reduction in the minimum age for election candidates from 21 to 18.

"Votes at 16 has support across the political parties, even though Lib Dem and Tory MPs were instrumental in voting down Labour's proposal last October to allow 16 and 17 year olds a vote in the forthcoming Alternative Vote referendum.

"Although denying law-abiding 16 and 17 year olds the vote, the Coalition Government has proposed giving the vote to violent criminals in prison!"

Tom Astell said: "It's great to have Diana Johnson's backing for our Votes at 16 campaign."

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