‘Important’ votes at 16 legislation could be tabled within months, minister says

A minister has said that an elections bill could come in the next parliamentary session, which will begin in spring.

Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, said she “strongly supports” votes at 16 and hopes MPs will have their say on the issue in the next parliamentary session.

Powell suggested that she expects an elections bill — which would include lowering the voting age — will be tabled in the next parliamentary session.

While parliamentary sessions have no fixed length, they tend to last for 12 months. The current 2024/25 session started after the general election in July 2024.

In its manifesto Labour committed to giving “16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections”, but the pledge was not included in the government’s first king’s speech.

Speaking at business questions, Labour MP Chris Ward said students in his Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven constituency asked him when the commons will vote on lowering the voting age.

He said: “I did my best — told them we had a manifesto commitment and I hoped that it would be later this year.

“But I wonder whether the leader of the House can do one better and confirm for me what the right answer is and when we’ll have a vote in this House?”

Powell replied: “I know this is an issue close to his heart as well as something he strongly supports, as I do.

“I think votes at 16 was one of the really important measures in our manifesto.”

Powell added: “He will know it’s not been identified in a bill in this session but I hope in probably the next session an elections bill which includes votes at 16 will be forthcoming and we’ll all get a chance to vote for it, as I know he and I both will.”

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