Robert Brown MSP backs Votes at 16 for young people

12.00.00am GMT Mon 30th Oct 2006

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown today called for young people to be able to vote at the age of 16. Mr. Brown, also the convenor of the Scottish Liberal Democrat policy committee, believes that as young people can pay taxes at 16 and join the armed forces at 16, then they are entitled to be part of the democratic decision making process.

The call for votes at 16 has been launched as part of Young Opportunity, which is part of the Scottish Liberal Democrat Bright Future campaign.

Young Opportunity will be a crucial part of the 2007 manifesto for the Scottish Parliamentary elections. It will also focus on: a Scotland's Future Bill, pupil and youth councils across Scotland, and more support for the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Robert Brown MSP said:

"Many young people make very positive contributions to society. Widening their opportunities and giving them a chance to play a bigger part in our democracy and society will be a key part of our manifesto for the 2007 elections. We must devote more energy to developing and helping young people than to demonising and blaming them.

"That's why one of the key themes for Scottish Liberal Democrats for the next election will be empowering young people to give them a real say on the decisions that affect them. I believe that the time is right to reduce the voting age for council and Scottish Parliament elections to 16. It's really another example of "no Taxation without representation"."

Mr Brown believes that much more needs to be done to give young people a say in decisions that affect them. Recently in Sweden, a "Power to Decide" Bill was introduced to entrench the rights of young people. Now, says Mr Brown, Scotland needs to follow suit and really deliver on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child agenda.

"Young people are passionate about the world around them. I want to make sure that they have the opportunity to influence the decisions that affect them in their schools, their communities and at a national level.

"I want to see young people involved from an early age in decision making through Pupil Councils in every school. Youth Councils should be established in every local authority areas with real powers of scrutiny over council activities that affect young people most. These Youth Councils should have the support and back up they need to involve wider groups of young people."

Ends

Notes

According to the 2001 Scottish Census, there are just under a million young people in Scotland under the age of 25 (941,028) with quarter of a million 16-24 year olds (224,773)

The UK is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which includes Article 4 'Protection of Rights; Article 12 'Respect for the views of the Child'; Article 13 'Freedom of Expression' and Article 14 'Freedom of thought, conscience and religion'

Bright Future: http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/news/0610042.shtml