MPs have rejected Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Williams' Representation of the People (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill by eithg votes 136 to 128.
While you may be old enough to but cigarettes, have sex, get married, join the army and pay income tax. You are not old enough to have you say in any of these things, or so the Labour and Conservative parties say, and vote.
Just when do children become aldults, when are they old enough to make adult decisions. Clearly we trust them with their long term health with both smoking and sex. We allow them to sign up for a career which might lead them into the valley of death. We are more than happy to accept their income tax. Unfortunately they don't trust you to vote.
So how is this going to inspire the most apathetic group of voters the 18-25 years olds?
Answers on a postcard to:
I'm a Prime Minster Get me out of Here
Number 10
London
To be fair though, it isn't the main event.
ReplyDeleteIf it's to have any chance of becoming law, votes at 16 needs to be put into the Electoral Administration Bill, not a PMB.
Fair point James and hope an ammendment to that effect gets added. However, to get it recognised in a PMB would mean it would have to be put into the body of the Electoral Adminstration Bill.
ReplyDelete