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No more filibustering – why the government should get behind a fairer franchise

Scotland has it, Wales is getting it, and more and more politicians are calling for it in England. Yet on Friday, a handful of MPs prevented legislation on votes at 16 going to the next...

Posted 15 May 2018

With cross-party support, we can secure a fair franchise for young people

Today MPs will debate a bill which could step our democracy up a gear. Dr Peter Kyle’s Representation of the People (Young People’s Enfranchisement) Bill would extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds. But whereas many bills...

Posted 11 May 2018

George Osborne is far from the only Tory backing Votes at 16

Votes at 16 not a Tory policy? Think again. George Osborne has become the latest in a succession of Conservatives to throw his weight behind extending the franchise. He tweeted this week: More Tory MPs...

Posted 16 Feb 2018

Welsh Assembly must not miss this golden opportunity for reform

Politics in Wales has reached a critical juncture – and this week Assembly Members (AMs) have a big decision to make. One road would see exciting changes to the way politicians are elected, placing power...

Posted 06 Feb 2018

Wales is leading the way on democratic reform. The Prime Minister should take note

The Welsh Government have just launched proposals that could revitalise democracy. But they could also send shock-waves to Westminster. In 2014, 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland won the right to vote in the...

Posted 30 Jan 2018

Survey results add weight to argument for Votes at 16

When reformers argue in favour of extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, they often do so by stating what other things those within that bracket are already doing (paying taxes, driving etc.) For many people these arguments will ring true – but for...

Posted 22 Jan 2018

Wales tears down barriers to democracy as England fortifies them

Last week Wales has shown just what devolution can do: allow new ways of doing democracy. On Tuesday the Welsh government launched a consultation that has the potential to be a game-changer when it comes...

Posted 27 Jul 2017

Citizenship education paves the way for votes at 16

With Wales looking to equalise their voting age with Scotland for local elections at 16, we asked our work experience student Carla to explain what impact the citizenship education classes she’d recent completed would have...

Posted 19 Jul 2017

The next government must extend votes at 16 beyond Scotland

You might not have realised, but on Thursday, thousands of 16 and 17 year olds trekked to polling stations across the country to exercise their democratic right to vote. They went with the full support...

Posted 05 May 2017

Extend the franchise for overseas citizens – but let’s have votes at 16 too

Last week’s Queen’s Speech – the legislative agenda for the next year – contained an interesting and largely overlooked reform in the ‘small print’ (see pages 62-63): the government is planning to scrap the arguably...

Posted 24 May 2016