Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Cunningham Excerpts

Wednesday 21st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell (Manchester Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

2. What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing the voting age to 16.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

6. What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing the voting age to 16.

[Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing the voting age to 16.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lidington]

The responsible thing for the Government to do is to stand by not just the policy we stood on in the recent general election but what we believe to be right, and it is right that the age of majority at 18 is the age at which every man and woman in this country acquires the full rights and responsibilities of adult citizenship.

[Alex Cunningham]

If 16 and 17-year-olds are too childish and irresponsible to vote in local or Westminster elections, should that not also apply to their ability to vote in Conservative leadership elections?

[Mr Lidington]

We are talking here about electing the Parliament and the Government of the country, and although some 16 and 17-year-olds exercise and demonstrate enormous responsibilities, it is also the case that we make a general protection in our law for 16 and 17-year-olds—for example, through the criminal justice system. That is another way we recognise that 18 is, on average, the right point to make that judgment.