Activists demand powers to give 16-year-olds the right to vote

Published on Sunday 28 October 2007 01:19

SNP activists yesterday called for Scotland to be given the power to cut the voting age in council elections to 16.

Nationalists have long supported reducing the voting age, currently 18, by two years. But, although the Scottish Government is responsible for local government elections, the Scotland Act does not allow it to alter the voting age.

Delegates at the SNP annual conference in Aviemore unanimously backed a resolution calling for that power. Councillor David McDonald said: "This motion is intended to send a message to the Prime Minister that we in Scotland want to give our young people equality, that we want control over our own elections, and we want control over our nation's future."

David Linden, of Young Scots for Independence, pointed out that, although they could be paying tax, 16 and 17-year-olds had no say on issues such as the war in Iraq or Trident.

"Are they saying that, at 16, you don't have a say on weapons of mass destruction, the education system in which you are educated, the health service where you go if you are sick?

"I call on the UK Government to blow a wind of change through Scottish democracy, equality and fairness by giving our young people the respect and voice that they deserve in society.

"I urge them to transfer the legislation in the Scotland Act which controls local government voting to the devolved parliament here in Scotland, and continue this new revolution in Scotland."