Lords Back Giving 16- And 17-Year-Olds The Vote In The EU Referendum

Prime Minister David Cameron has said he is committed to holding the vote by the end of 2017.

Afzal Khan MEP said: “I strongly believe 16 and 17 year olds should be allowed to vote in the European Union referendum, and in all future elections – they can now get married, pay tax, be a company director and even change their name, but they cannot vote”.

In the latest of a string of defeats for the government, peers voted by 293 to 211 to approve the reform by a majority of 82 during a debate on the report stage of the European Union Referendum Bill.

If the move is not overturned by MPs, it could affect the timing of the referendum vote.

According to the newspaper, this move would lead to the delay in the term United Kingdom government could hold the referendum in, because country’s electoral commission would need additional time to include all the teenagers in the voting lists. Ahead of the vote, David Cameron’s spokesman repeated his opposition to lowering the voting age.

Labour and Liberal Democrat peers will back the motion, which is expected to pass with the support of a few crossbenchers.

Ms Morgan said that evidence showed that more 16 and 17 year-olds had voted in last year’s Scottish independence referendum than 18-24 year-olds.

“This is a victory for democracy, we will give over a million people a voice on their future”.

The government must now listen and act.

The UK Independence Party said the House of Lords had over-reached itself and the decision should reside with the elected House of Commons.

“This is a clear display of arrogance from an unelected and undemocratic body”.

“It is inappropriate to try to change the nation’s electoral franchise through the backdoor of this Bill”.

The Government would then face a decision on whether to accept the amendment and lower the franchise age, or try to overturn the change in the House of Commons. Taking that away now would do them an injustice.