'We cannot deny 16 & 17 year olds a say in the future role of the UK, in or out of Europe'
2 min read
Lib Dem Spokesperson for Constitutional and Political Reform, Lord Tyler, writes ahead of the debate on whether or not to include 16 and 17 year olds in the EU Referendum, which takes place in the House of Lords tomorrow.
David Cameron last week described the forthcoming vote in the EU referendum as “a huge decision for our country – perhaps the biggest we will make in our lifetimes. And it will be a final decision.”
Naturally, those young citizens who are likely to have to live longest with the consequences may be thought to have the liveliest interest in a poll of this sort. That was the rationale – accepted by the Coalition Government Cabinet – for including 16 and 17 year-old Scots in the 2014 independence referendum.
The pessimists were convinced that they would not bother to register, or to vote, and if they did they would be swayed by the emotional fervour of the separatists. Instead, some 110,000 registered, they debated the issues with maturity and responsibility, 75% voted (far more than their immediate elders) and they seem to have resisted the mythical advantages of separation.
That practical experience has persuaded Peers from all along the political spectrum that we cannot deny this age group a say in the future role of the UK in or out of Europe. As Conservative Lord Dobbs put it “how can it be right to allow 16 and 17 year-olds to vote in a referendum on Scotland but not in a referendum on Europe?” An increasing number of Conservative MPs have echoed this view.
Surely Ministers are not going to claim that English, Welsh or Northern Irish young people in this age group are less mature, less responsible, less well informed and less ready to participate in this unique decision than their Scottish counterparts?
This is why I will be joined by Labour, Conservative and Crossbench Peers in supporting a simple amendment to include them in the franchise for the EU Referendum Bill on Wednesday 18th November. The signs are that a majority in the House of Lords may well think so too.
And given what the Prime Minister has now said about the extraordinary significance of this vote for many years to come I suspect he will – eventually – agree that we are right.
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