Commission supports votes at 16
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POWER Report backs Votes at 16
10.46.24am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 27th Feb 2006
The long-awaited report of the POWER Commission has been published today - and it backs lowering the voting age to 16. The Isle of Man has recently lowered the age to 16 and Gordon Brown has said he supports the idea. It has been Green Party Policy for many years.
The POWER Commission was independent of all parties and funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a charity which takes a close interest in democracy. The Commission was chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy.
In recommending a lower voting age, the Commission says that the move will help to connect young people with democracy. The Commission stresses that there is not a lack of interest in politics, simply a lack of faith that ordinary people have the power to change things.
The Votes at 16 Campaign has welcomed the report and urged the Government to take action on lowering the voting age. As someone who works in a college, it is obvious to me that if we want young people to engage with politics they need to be able to vote at 16, building on citizenship in schools and before they become cynical and disinterested in politics
You can read the POWER Commission report by going to http://www.powerinquiry.org/
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