SALFORD COUNCIL BACKS VOTES FOR 16 YEAR OLDS

A joint letter was sent by the lead member of Salford City Council, the city’s youth mayor and member of youth parliament to all Greater Manchester leaders asking them to support reducing the voting age to 16. And today Salford City Council has formally backed the campaign by passing a motion at full council.

More than 1.5 million 16 and 17 year olds are currently denied the vote in the UK. The city’s Youth Council recently hosted a schools debate in the council chamber on the ‘Votes at 16’ campaign and members chose to overwhelmingly support it.

The second reading of the Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill 2017-19 had its second reading debate in the House of Commons on 3 November 2017, but it was timed out. The debate will now continue on Friday 1 December.

Councillor Lisa Stone, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council, said: 

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“In Salford, we wholeheartedly support the Votes at 16 Campaign. 16 and 17 year olds are knowledgeable and passionate about the world in which they live, and they should; have the opportunity to vote. Young people’s role in shaping society is incredibly important. They need to know they are valued, to feel involved in their communities at an early age and be given the opportunity to be heard, to shape local communities, services and society.

“Young people who can work full-time, pay income tax or national insurance contributions, get married or enter a civil partnership, become parents, consent to medical treatment, and join the armed forces absolutely should be entitled to this right to actively participate in democracy. After all, it is their community, their society. We are but place holders for the future generations and we need to ensure that we work together to create a future young people are invested in.”

 

Josh Baxter, Member of Youth Parliament for Salford, said: 

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“Lowering the voting age to 16, combined with strong citizenship education, would empower more young people to better engage in society and influence decisions that will define their future.

Wik Matuszewska, Salford’s Youth Mayor, said:

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“We are urging senior representatives across Greater Manchester to campaign for the voting age to be lowered to 16.”