- Association of Colleges wants the Government to lower the voting age from 18
- This would create up to 1.5m new voters statistically more likely to vote Labour
- The move was put forward in a private member’s Bill by Labour MP Peter Kyle
Sixth-form colleges have joined the campaign to give 16-year-olds the vote, which is backed by Jeremy Corbyn
Sixth-form colleges have joined the campaign to give 16-year-olds the vote, which is backed by Jeremy Corbyn.
The Association of Colleges wants the Government to lower the voting age from 18.
This would create up to 1.5million new voters, who would be statistically more likely to vote Labour.
Party leader Mr Corbyn has promised sixth forms more money if he comes to power.
The move, which is opposed by the Government, was put forward in a private member’s Bill by Labour MP Peter Kyle.
But several Tory MPs support the Bill, including former education secretary Nicky Morgan.
Some 544,850 students aged 16 and 17 attend English colleges.
The AoC says it is unfair that they can marry, work, pay taxes and serve in the military, but cannot vote – even though their peers in Scotland can.
David Hughes, the AoC’s chief executive, told the Times Educational Supplement: ‘Helping young people to engage in politics is really important.
‘How do you make young people feel they’ve got a stake in our society? You say, “We think you should have a vote.”’