"Old enough to serve your country, old enough to vote" - Except that it’s not that simple

Facts4EU looks at Government plans to lower the voting age to 16 for the next general election

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2025

The facts and implications - The right to vote in general elections in the UK and in other countries

Buried at the bottom right of page 108 of ‘Change – The Labour Party Manifesto 2024’ is the following sentence :

“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.”
- Bottom of page 108, ‘Change’, Labour Party Manifesto 2024

Lowering the voting age to 16 for the next general election

This is official Labour policy. It was not included in the King’s Speech to Parliament and so will not be enacted during this session, but a Government spokesman has confirmed that it remains official policy and that it will be legislated for during the current term, ending summer 2029.

Government response to a written parliamentary question, 11 Oct 2024

“As per the manifesto, the Government is committed to act during this Parliament to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections, strengthening our democracy, empowering young people to participate and building an informed and empowered electorate.”
“Lowering the voting age will be a major change to the electoral franchise, with implications for the wider electoral sector. Successful design and implementation of the change will require careful planning and engagement with stakeholders in the electoral sector, devolved and local government, education and civil society and, importantly, young people themselves.”
- Alex Norris, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government), responding to a parliamentary question, 11 Oct 2024.

This means that at the next general election, barring a policy reversal for whatever reason, the United Kingdom’s 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to line up at polling booths across the country and vote for their MP and thereby help to determine the next government.

The right of 1-6 and 17-year-olds to vote already exists in devolved elections in Scotland and Wales at local level as well as for the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. For UK general elections, however, the right to vote is not a devolved matter and can only be decided by legislation passed in the Westminster Parliament. If the Government does not break its manifesto commitment to these teenagers, this will become law before the next election.

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The justifications given for the change

A variety of reasons have been given to justify lowering the voting age. Here are some, outlined by a Conservative politician.

“We deem 16-year-olds adult enough to join the army, to have sex, get married, leave home and work full-time. The evidence of the referendum suggests that, clearly, they are old enough to vote too.”
- Ruth Davidson, former Leader, Scottish Conservatives, 2016

There are problems with what Ms Davidson said, however, in that it is only partly true. The facts are as follows :

A 16 year-old can only marry with parental consent
A 16 year-old can only join the army with parental consent
A 16 year-old must stay in formal education requiring qualifications until the age of 18

Added to this, they are not considered old enough to buy either cigarettes or alcohol, both of which are prohibited by law until the age of 18. In other words, it is wholly disingenuous to suggest that a 16 year-old is considered mature enough to make life choices by his or herself. In general terms this is simply untrue.

The implication for the size of the electorate

Brexit Facts4EU analysed the breakdown of the UK’s population by single year of age to determine how many potential voters are aged 16 to 17.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

The UK population aged 16 and 17, official 2022 estimates

Aged 16 : 775,793
Aged 17 : 774,608
Total aged 16 and 17 : 1,550,401

Percentage uplift in total voting age population, official 2022 estimates

Aged 18+ : 53,655,366
Age 16-17 : 1,550,401
Increase : 2.9%

The policies of the main political parties

According to the manifestos issued ahead of the 2024 general election, here are the views of the main political parties on the question of lowering the voting age to 16.

Labour : 16
Conservatives : 18
Reform UK : Undeclared
LibDems : 16
SNP : 16
Greens : 16
Plaid Cymru : 16

Polling at the last election showed that only 28% of the UK electorate would support lowering the age for voting.

How does the UK compare with other countries?

Amongst EU countries, only Austria and Malta have lowered the voter eligibility to 16 and Greece has done so to the age of 17. Apart from these countries, if the UK allowed voting from age 16 it would be joining the likes of Nicaragua, Cuba, Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina.

Out of 237 countries and territories, only 12 have a voting age of 16.

Observations

When Sir Keir Starmer’s government legislates to lower the voting age in general elections, the UK will join only a dozen other countries worldwide to do so. In the vast majority the age is 18, as it currently is the UK, with 15 having voting ages above this and five being currently uncertain.

The arguments that are put tend to come from left-leaning organisations from the reports we have seen, and they appear anxious to reassure readers that enfranchising a very young cohort in society will not lead to an increased vote share for Labour. This runs counter to polling that is occasionally done, which shows an increased support for Labour from 16-17-year-olds.

The view of the Facts4EU.Org team is that if teenagers under 18 years of age are not trusted to buy cigarettes or alcohol, not trusted to marry or join the army without their parents’ permission, and are not allowed to leave full-time education, then it seems incongruous to say they are suited to making important democratic decisions.

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[ Sources: Labour Manifesto 2024 | ONS | Pew Research ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thurs 13 Feb 2025

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Reader Comments 18

1. Major Graham Lear , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 09:34:

While 16/17 are allowed to join the military they are also not allowed to be on the battlefield fighting. British soldiers cannot legally fight in a war, as they are not allowed to be deployed on combat operations until they turn18

2. Old Albion , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 09:36:

It's always uncomfortable to generalise, but take a look at sixteen year olds today. They have no clue about the real world. Just immersed in their technology/media lives.
Any adjustment should be to raise the age of consent/marriage/joining the miltary to18. Creating an alignment that says you become an adult at 18 and will gain the right to vote.

3. Northern Muppet , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:06:

The right age to be able to cast your vote is 18. Many, many years of experience have led us to this position. Dropping it to 16 would be a folly. Would we also then be naming defendants in court cases when they are above 16?? If you're old enough to vote, you're old enough to be treated the same in the same way as everyone else.
.
I think that this may be a HUGE mistake by liebour, though. My understanding is that Nigel Farage is far more popular amongst the younger generation than TTK will ever be. Be careful with the law of unintended consequences!!

4. LuxuryBalloon , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:45:

The biggest issue is that UK youngsters don’t share our anti-EU sentiments. Many of them believe Brexit was about overthrowing imaginary oppression to gain imaginary freedom.

5. Sparky , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 15:07:

This piece wouldn’t have anything to do with a similar piece on 30.1.25 which showed that 84% of 18 to 25 year olds would vote rejoin, assuming that 16 to 18 year olds would vote the same way.
.
Brexit was voted for on the back of immigration by a generation that was looking back to a British Empire and the good old days through rose tinted glasses.
.
There were similar arguments against changing voting criteria which the suffragette movement was fighting against.

6. Old Albion , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 16:06:

Sparkles, you constantly repeat you're incorrect refrain. Brexit was voted for because the majority were tired of being governed by an untouchable small elite in Brussels. Approx 70% of all laws/regulations/rules and directives were imposed upon the UK by the EU in the latter years of membership. We wanted our sovereignty back.
The under 25's to whom you refer never knew life outside of the EU. We were members for forty years.

7. Gazzablack , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 20:15:

5 sparkless
.
It was sovereignty Desperate Dim, It was soversignty.
.
.
With Brexit, the UK can "break away from Stifling EU tech rules"
Not my words, but the words of the founder of Quintessential Capital"
.
"The UK now has the opportunity to do fisheries management better than the EU - more practical and appropriate to the UK situation"
Not my words, but the words of the Scottish Fishermens Federation

8. Sparky , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 21:11:

6 OA 7 G. Once again, look at YouGov tracker most important issues. Immigration rose way above all other issues around the referendum.

9. LuxuryBalloon , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 21:18:

7 Gazza …
‘Controlled immigration will result in reduced NHS waiting times for you and your loved ones’
Not my words, but the words of the Leave.EU campaign, founded by Richard Tice.
‘Your wages will rise thanks to better controlled immigrants which will lead to less competition for jobs’
Not my words, but the words of the Leave.EU campaign, backed by Nigel Farage.

10. KB , Thursday, February 13, 2025, 22:09:

Recent research shows the brain does not reach maturity until well into the 20's.
The UK is fully signed up to the UN treaty on Rights of the Child, within which a "child" is defined as someone under 18 years old.
A 16 y.o arrested for a crime cannot be named in the press.
They can't legally drive on public roads
There are calls to increase the age of consent to 18.
Everything in society is leading to infantilization of the population rather than the reverse.
Except the voting age, funny that.

18 comments, page 1 of 2

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