Hugh Reilly: It may be a long shot but I think Scots teenagers are a good bet for democracy

Published on Tuesday 13 October 2009 22:05

IN 1913, my grandfather, a keen racegoer, witnessed suffragette Emily Davidson throwing herself under the King's horse in the Derby. It was an upsetting experience for him; after all, he had bet half a week's wages on the King's stallion.

Granda Reilly wasn't alone in believing a woman's place was in a domestic setting – many females were against extending voting rights to the fairer sex. Queen Victoria described women's suffrage as "wicked folly".

Call it a long shot, but I think that John Brown's alleged lover would not be amused with the Scottish Government's proposal to allow 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to vote in next year's independence referendum.

Certainly, the idea of extending democracy did not please the opposition parties. Pauline McNeill, Labour's constitution spokeswoman, claimed it was based more on tactics than principle.

Spookily, when in government, Labour supported the notion of 16-year-olds voting in council elections. In 2003, the local government committee convener, Trish Godman, said: "Young people in particular tend not to be interested in local politics. We feel that allowing people to vote in local elections at 16 would help stimulate interest."

One might have thought that the Liberal Democrats, deserving winners of the wooden spoon in the 2007 election, would have seized the chance to garner the support of a new demographic, given that all other demographic groups soundly reject them. To be fair, denying youngsters a voice is entirely consistent with the party's view that the Scottish people should be denied the democratic right to have a direct say in the country's constitutional future.

In my opinion, pupils in my Higher and Intermediate modern studies classes possess more knowledge of politics than many grown-ups. There is heavy irony that John Smeaton, aged 32, is not only allowed to mark a ballot paper, but is, God help us, permitted to stand as a candidate in the constituency in which I reside.

Believe me, if he knocks on my door, I'll set aboot him and his Jury Team minders.

A key component of the Curriculum for Excellence is for our young people to become active citizens. Some of our representatives, it seems, think citizenship for teenagers is about using a poop-scoop, helping pensioners cross the road and sticking a Neighourhood Watch poster on a bedroom window. How I wish that these patronising politicians had been present when, Kimberley Boyce, a 16-year-old pupil of mine at St Paul's in Glasgow, mesmerised an audience of adults when she made an impromptu speech at the launch of a campaign for free school meals.

Indeed, guest MSPs and councillors to my classroom often state that teenagers ask the most probing questions.

The arguments against lowering the age are spurious. "Teenagers won't vote," the naysayers parrot. Using this logic, the adult population of Shettleston should be summarily disenfranchised as only 33 per cent bothered to get off their backsides and vote in the last election.

"They lack the maturity to make informed decisions", say others. Yeah, unlike the 140,000 mature adults in 2007 whose brains exploded when asked to place two crosses on the AMS ballot paper and write down a few numbers on the STV ballot paper.

And didn't Tony Blair make a very mature decision when he led us into an unwinnable war in Afghanistan?

Thankfully, not everyone has such low regard for our youth. In my own school, the constituency MSP, Margaret Curran, holds a monthly surgery for pupils. Admittedly, there isn't always a long queue, but at least kids are afforded face time with a representative who may be able to assist with a local issue.

Every school in Scotland receives a free mailshot of the Scots Independent newspaper from the SNP, although some librarians refuse to place it on the shelves for some reason. The public petitions committee of the parliament listens to matters raised by youngsters, and in March this year met in Fraserburgh Academy.

Do teenagers need to set mailboxes alight and chain themselves to town hall railings to convince politicians they are worthy of the vote?