European Union Referendum: Young Voters

Lord Roberts of Llandudno Excerpts

Thursday 26th May 2016 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that every eligible young voter is registered to vote ahead of the deadline for the European Union referendum on 7 June.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, as honorary president of the youth democracy charity Bite The Ballot, I am delighted to have the opportunity given to me by this short debate to urge the electoral registration of the largest number of people, especially young people, so that they can vote in the European Union referendum on June 23. Young people are least likely to be registered to vote, and then least likely to turn out. At last year’s general election only 43% of those between 18 and 24 voted, compared with 78% of the over 65s.

I am told that up to 4 million young people have yet to register. Their voices must not be allowed to be silent. Not only will the future of Europe rest on these votes but, when elections take place in the United Kingdom, those who are not registered and are not able to cast a vote will be allowing themselves to go unheard. They will have no influence on our health service, our schools and colleges, our environment, the houses we need to build or the future of our steel industry: no registration, no vote, no influence.

We salute the campaign of a century ago that enabled womenfolk to vote. I also remember well, in my time, when in 1994 all people in South Africa, whatever their colour, were allowed to take their place in a queue to vote. There is a television clip that I remember clearly: people in Soweto waited for 12 hours in order to cast their vote, and the queue was a mile long. A TV interviewer spoke to one elderly lady in the queue who was just five minutes too late and had found herself unable to vote, so she would have to stay overnight and vote the following day. The interviewer asked her if she was not perplexed about this. She said, “Not really. I have waited a lifetime. What is one more night?”. I read only this morning Nelson Mandela’s remark on that day in April 1994:

“Today is a day like no other before it. Voting in our first free and fair election has begun … Today marks the dawn of our freedom”.

I love the phrase,

“the dawn of our freedom”.

The vote that will give people the power to decide the outcome of the referendum is the most important decision of their lifetimes—especially those of young people. Within the European Union they will be able to direct the future of climate change and tackle questions of war, peace, prosperity, refugees and much else. We have only a few days before the referendum will take place. The vote will affect every one of us, but it will affect young people for even longer because they are younger. It will affect their entire lives, so the turnout of students and young people will be vital.

Of course, in a referendum every vote counts. As one of the many organisations working to register voters, Bite The Ballot hopes to register 5 million—no, sorry, that would be ambitious—500,000 new voters in the next few days, and is co-ordinating a week-long campaign to raise awareness about the EU referendum and the consequences of an in or out vote. It is trying to mobilise unrepresented youth groups to register to vote—the 4 million people who are not registered at the moment. As part of an eight-day campaign between 31 May and 7 June, certain groups of society will be targeted on certain days. There will be different themes. One day will be dedicated to faith groups, with calls to action to community faith leaders to encourage congregations to register. Another will be dedicated to students, encouraging them to register a friend or apply for a postal vote—and I am sure that social media will be much in evidence.

We have two weeks. The deadline is 7 June for people who want to register to vote, and we want to register the largest number possible. I know that the Minister agrees with everything I have said and will do everything in his power to ensure that the highest number of people are enabled to vote. I will quote again for them:

“Voting in our first free and fair election has begun”.

For them, 7 June—or, you might say, 23 June—will mark the dawn of a new freedom.