Press Releases

WESTMINSTER FOLLOWS SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT LEAD ON VOTES AT 16

The UK Parliament has voted in favour of lowering the voting age to 16 for all elections for the first time.

Speaking following the vote, Pete Wishart MP said:

“Westminster has once again followed Scotland’s lead. I am thrilled that my colleagues in the House of Commons have seen sense and voted for 16 and 17 year olds to vote in all elections. Although the vote is non-binding, with those in favour at 119 to just 46, it shows the strong will of the Commons.

“SNP MP Winnie Ewing first raised the issue in her maiden speech at Westminster in 1967, and so it has been a long-standing position of the party to allow 16 and 17 year olds the vote for all elections, including the upcoming referendum on independence.

“It will remain to be seen however whether Labour and the Lib-Dems in Scotland will put opportunism to the side, and get behind our efforts in the referendum.”

• News