BYC welcome Government consultation on votes at 16

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Friday, 29, Feb 2008 12:00

The British Youth Council (BYC) today expressed its support for the Government’s announcement of a nationwide consultation on lowering the voting age to 16.

The Ministry of Justice announced that this consultation will be the task of the new Youth Citizenship Commission. This body will focus on engaging young people aged 11 to 19 as citizens.

As the national Youth Council of the UK, BYC aims to empower all young people in the UK to have a voice and sees this announcement as an extremely positive development for their Votes at 16 campaign.

BYC Chair, Emily Beardsmore expressed her support: “The announcement of this consultation is great news. BYC believes in Votes at 16. We believe that young people should, and could, be more involved in the decisions that affect the way they live their lives and the issues that they feel passionate about”.

James Cathcart, CEO, added: “BYC has been campaigning for Votes at 16 for over ten years and to mark our 60th birthday this year we had decided to make this our lead campaign for 2008. So this announcement is timely! We are are very much looking forward to taking part!”

BYC has been running an online survey on its website to gauge young people’s opinion on lowering the voting age and we would call on young people to express their views on the issue and take part in the Votes at 16 survey.

BYC is a member of the Votes at 16 Coalition, which includes other organisations such as the Electoral Reform Society, UK Youth Parliament and the National Youth Agency.

Young people have been showing their support for BYC’s Votes at 16 campaign by taking part in the survey, emailing their MPs asking them to support Julie Morgan MP’s Private Member’s Bill and Early Day Motion 493 on the Voting Age and also running a successful postcard campaign, the results of which will be presented to the Prime Minister.

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact:

Helen Deakin

Policy Officer

British Youth Council

0207 7022 1974

Out-of-office hours mobile: 07809507356 (James Cathcart, CEO).

Email: Helen.Deakin@byc.org.uk

www.byc.org.uk

BYC is the national youth council and voice for young people under 26 living in the UK. We represent and involve a unique coalition of young people through their involvement as individuals or through national, regional or local youth organisations. We aim to do four things: Provide a voice for young people; Promote equality for young people; Help young people be more involved in decisions that affect their lives; Advance young people’s participation in society and civil life. For more information see our website http://www.byc.org.uk/

For more information on BYC’s Votes at 16 Campaign, the work of the Votes at 16 Coalition and why we support lowering the voting age please contact BYC on the details above. Information on BYC’s Votes at 16 can be found at: http://www.byc.org.uk/votesat16/

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