Polling suggests the public has mixed views on extending the franchise. In June, Conservative pollster Michael Ashcroft found 52 percent of voters were “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed to lowering the voting age, compared to 38 percent in favor.
And some democracy-watchers argue that boosting the franchise may be ineffective without better civic education.
“I don’t think getting them registered earlier within a school setting alone will be enough,” said Ruth Fox, director of the Hansard Society, which promotes democratic participation. She called for a school syllabus on how politics, elections and parliament actually work, but warned: “There isn’t the kind of resourcing even that we had 20 years ago, 25 years ago, in schools for citizenship education.”
Cowley said Labour has so far failed to make a positive case for a big constitutional change. “It’s inconsistent with the changes to the way we approach adulthood, which, for the most part, have been raising qualification ages from 16 to 18,” he added.
The trend of delaying choice for children bears out. The age requirement for teenagers to be in some form of education, training or apprenticeship has steadily increased to 18 in England. Last year, the legal age of marriage rose from 16 (with parental permission) to 18 to protect vulnerable children from forced marriages.
‘Awakening’
As it mulls the plans, Labour can perhaps take some comfort from July’s general election results.
