I, too, thank our first-class clerks and well-informed witnesses and all who contributed to our stage 1 report on the Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill.
The committee supports the general principles of the bill—principles that have long been part of Scottish Green Party policy. Just as last week’s debate on the draft clauses based on the Smith agreement was a result of the engagement that we witnessed in the referendum, this debate is an incredibly positive reflection of that increased political engagement and a concrete step towards making it possible for it to continue to its fullest extent in the act of voting for 16 and 17-year-olds.
The Scottish Youth Parliament campaigned for votes at 16 in the referendum, followed by all other elections and referenda. It is not alone. The votes at 16 campaign says:
“Since 1998 we’ve been calling for votes at 16, and last year’s indy ref was proof we’re ready.”
Who could argue with that? Even those who were previously unconvinced recognised the involvement of young people as appropriate, important and, quite frankly, right.
We experienced first hand the contribution that young people can make to the democratic process, and was it not inspiring? I am delighted that we are on the road to enabling 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in Scottish Parliament and Scottish local authority elections. I have no doubt that, were the UK Government to pass similar legislation at Westminster, it, too, would witness the passion and dedication that come when young people are allowed to be fully involved in the democratic process and when they are given the right to vote.
Many believed, and now we all know, that democracy is better when young people are involved. When young people cannot vote, we squander energy and passion. Can we afford to do that at a time when politics is so poorly regarded and when we all too often have woefully low voter turnout?
Votes at 16 says:
“We want our political system to recognise the abilities of 16 year olds. To properly include us in our society and show us the trust and respect that society expects of us by giving us the right to vote.”
My committee colleagues agree that our evidence-taking session with the Scottish Youth Parliament, Young Scot and the National Union of Students Scotland was particularly lively, engaging and informative. Louise Cameron of the Scottish Youth Parliament was an inspirational witness. She pointed out that 16 and 17-year-olds challenged their families about not going to the ballot box. She said:
“Maybe parents or others who have been disengaged from the political system have had their engagement revitalised.”—[Official Report, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, 23 April 2015; c 30.]
There are those who still insist that young people are not equipped or well enough educated to vote. I disagree whole-heartedly, as do those colleagues who took part in debates where young people engaged and debated in an articulate, passionate and well-informed way.
We have heard in media debate this week about the need to extend the franchise for the proposed EU referendum. We know that young people are very well informed. They are able to access information and, indeed, have exposure to information that some older voters will never see. Social media are, as we have heard in this debate, transforming how we do many things, and their impact on politics and campaigning was clear to see in the referendum.
Many pupils benefited from taking part in fairly chaired debates with balanced panels. As colleagues have noted, that was not the case in every local authority, and action to overcome the reluctance to host such debates, which seemed to stem from concern about being partial, is essential. Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland summed it up perfectly when he said:
“there is everything to gain from having national guidelines, because they could break down those barriers and encourage education authorities to take a risk. That risk is worth taking, because everybody has to take risks. One of the rites of passage of growing up is for young people to begin to make their own decisions and take chances. We need to allow people to make decisions for themselves rather than doing it for them.”—[Official Report, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, 23 April 2015; c 26.]
Absolutely. Curriculum for excellence aims to create confident individuals who are effective contributors and responsible citizens and who participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life. Involvement in our democratic process is a perfect way to enable such development.
Louise Cameron noted that, although the school system this time missed some young people,
“practically everyone nowadays is on Facebook and Twitter, so that is a valuable way to catch people.”
She said that there was a
“hashtag on Twitter on the day before the referendum and the day of the referendum to encourage people to go to the ballot box, and it received huge publicity.”—[Official Report, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, 23 April 2015; c 26-7.]
With amendment, we can ensure a more equal playing field as the bill progresses.
The votes at 16 UK Facebook page says:
“The EU referendum will be a historic, once in a lifetime, vote. 16 and 17 yr olds took their right to vote in the Scottish referendum, with over 75% turnout. Now it is time for the government to give them a vote in the EU referendum.”
Westminster, I hope, is listening.
Our work on the bill is clearly the beginning and not the end of a process. The bill will be amended as it proceeds through Parliament. I hope that our experience in Scotland will demonstrate to those who still require convincing that the time has come to give all 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote.
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