The voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK in time for the next general election, govt has confirmed, bringing UK-wide elections in line with Scotland and Wales.
Around 1.5 million 16- and 17-year-olds will be eligible to vote in all UK elections once the elections bill becomes law. Currently the voting age for the general election is 18.
Announcing the change, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said: “Unlike our opponents, this Labour govt is not running scared of a generation that’s hungry for change.”
Among other changes announced in the strategy paper, British voters will be able to use UK-issued bank cards as ID to vote at polling stations. Currently they are only allowed to use photo ID such as passports and driving licences.
A clampdown on foreign donations has also been promised, by requiring that donations from British companies giving to political parties are carrying out genuine commercial activity and the recipients will be responsible for checking there is no foreign interference. In addition tougher sentences will be brought out for anyone who harasses and threatens candidates.
The changes came under fire from the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Tory MP James Cleverly said Labour had only done this because they were “tanking in the polls”.
Shadow communities minister Paul Holmes MP said: “Sixteen-year-olds will be able to vote in an election but not stand as candidates, and they will be able to vote but not permitted to buy a lottery ticket, consume alcohol, marry, or go to war.”
Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage said allowing bank cards as voter ID was “allowing wide-open fraud”. “Reform is in second place with this age group, so if this is what is going to happen we are going to give Labour the shock of their lives,” he said.
Minister for democracy Rushanara Ali said: “Young people can work at 16, pay taxes and join the Army. There is no reason that they should not have the right to a say in who represents them. They are passionate about the issues affecting their communities and country; foreign interference in British politics is a growing danger to our democracy and it is right that we tackle it.”