Labour to give votes to 16 and 17-year-olds – but plan blasted as ‘vote rigging’

LABOUR will give kids aged 16 and 17 the vote if they are elected, the party’s manifesto has confirmed.

The measure – set to hand voting rights to an extra 1.5 million teenagers – was one of the most high-profile commitments made by Sir Keir Starmer in the lead-up to his manifesto launch this morning.

Opponents of the measure had previously branded the move as a form of vote rigging as the majority of young people already vote Labour.

Today’s plans said: “To encourage participation in our democracy, Labour will improve voter registration and address the inconsistencies in voter ID rules that prevent legitimate voters from voting.

“For example, in the case of HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

“We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.

“And we will protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties.”

At the Labour manifesto launch, Sir Keir Starmer…

• Ruled out raising income tax, national insurance, or VAT
• Committed to keeping the pensions triple lock
• Promised a benefits shake-up to get sick people working
• Pledged to remove the ‘discriminatory’ minimum wage age bands
• Vowed to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s
• Confirmed a plan to give 16-year-olds the vote
• Promised to slap VAT on private schools to fund 6,500 new teachers
• Pledged to build 1.5million new homes

Earlier this month a study found the measure was unpopular with the public, including key swing voter groups.

The study also found that the public thinks Labour wants to lower the voting age to hoover up more votes from new voters.

Sir Keir previously said: “If you can work, if you can pay tax if you can serve in your Armed Forces, then you ought to be able to vote.”

The voting age has already been lowered to 16 by the SNP in Scotland and the Labour Party in Wales.

If Labour are elected it is set to be the largest change to the electorate since 1969 – when the voting age was changed from 21 to 18.

Jonathan Gullis, Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, said:

“Keir Starmer is trying to rig the voting system to give him a blank cheque to do what Labour always does – raise your taxes.

“Under 18s cannot drink, serve on a jury, or get married. But yet Labour are all too happy to collect their votes.

“It is clear that this is a cynical attempt to stuff their ballot boxes, and would open the door to a franchise slippery slope, with foreign citizens next in line.”