Stone says 16 and 17 year old should have the right to vote

TEENAGERS aged 16 and 17 should have the right to vote, according to far north MP Jamie Stone.

Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representative encouraged the UK Parliament to support votes for 16 and 17-year-olds and said it is refreshing to see that age group engaging in political processes.

He pointed out that in the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 youngsters of 16 and 17 were allowed to voted for the first time and there was a 75 per cent turnout among that section of the electorate.

Mr Stone said: "Times have changed. When I was at school all those years ago, politics didn’t enter our lives. We knew nothing about it and it wasn’t encouraged at school either. How very different things are today.

"We all see how competent 16 and 17-year-olds are in their discussions. During the independence referendum the discussions that we had in classrooms with voters were sophisticated indeed. We came away thinking my goodness me, they really do know their stuff.

"When they came to cast their votes do not think for one second it was an ignorant vote. They knew what they were doing.

"I have complete confidence in the wisdom of that electorate. It’s refreshing to see them engaging with the political process. To the rest of the UK I say you have nothing to fear from this at all."

Afterwards, the Liberal Democrat MP said: "We trust 16 and 17-year-olds to join the army, get married and pay taxes yet the government doesn’t trust them to vote. Sixteen and 17-year-olds in Scotland showed not only their awareness of voting responsibilities but also their desire to be involved in the process. Extending votes to 16 and 17-year-olds is a crucial next step, especially given Brexit poses so many threats to the lives of young people.

"They deserve their voice to be heard and it is time ministers ensure every 16 and 17-year-old across the UK has the right to vote."

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