Following the news the UK government was discussing plans to give 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland the vote in an independence referendum, ex MYP and current UKYP Procedures Group member Rhammel Afflick was interviewed by MSN News.
Rhammel told MSN:
“I think it’s a question of basic rights. Every year, thousands of people take part in youth elections across the UK… there are loads of young people who are politically engaged, who understand what is going on and want involvement. It seems unacceptable that young people have these big responsibilities but actually don’t have any say over the issues that affect them.”
MSN have also posted an online poll asking the public to vote on whether the UK’s voting age should be lowered to 16. The poll currently (as at 3pm on 22 August) has 14,293 responses, with 84% of people voting against lowering the voting age.
Read the full article and take part in the poll
In statement from the Scottish Youth Parliament, which is a member of the Votes at 16 Coalition, Chair Grant Costello said:
“The Scottish Youth Parliament wrote earlier this month to both the UK and Scottish Governments to call on them to put aside their disagreements and work together to remove the barriers preventing 16 and 17-year-olds voting in the referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future.
“We therefore welcome the news the UK Government is prepared to discuss this issue. We urge both Governments to seize the moment, sit down together, and make votes at 16 a reality.”
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The MP for Wigan, who edited the report, entitled A Plan B for Youth, said she did not want to overstate the argument that older voters had much more power at the ballot box and were therefore given priority over younger voters in terms of party policy, but lowering the voting age to 16 was a way of “this generation showing respect for the next generation” and giving them a share of power.
Posted by gold price on 23rd September 2012 at 7:48 am
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