Keir Starmer stuns: 16 and 17 year olds can vote in UK General Elections | WATCH

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next UK general election, fulfilling a key Labour Party manifesto commitment. The policy, announced as part of the government’s Elections Bill, marks the most significant change to the UK electorate since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969, adding approximately 1.5 million new voters.

Speaking to ITV News, Starmer emphasized fairness, stating, “If you’re old enough to work, pay taxes, or serve in the armed forces, you ought to have a say in how your money is spent.” Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali called the move a “generational step forward” to boost public trust and engagement, aligning England with Scotland and Wales, where 16-year-olds already vote in devolved and local elections. The bill also includes provisions to accept bank cards as voter ID and tighten rules on foreign donations.

The decision has sparked debate. A Merlin Strategy poll for ITV News found 49% of 16- and 17-year-olds oppose lowering the voting age, with only 18% saying they would definitely vote. Critics, including Reform UK’s Nigel Farage and Conservative MP Paul Holmes, argue the policy is a Labour attempt to “rig” elections, noting younger voters’ tendency to favor left-leaning parties—33% support Labour, while 20% back Reform UK. Farage told ITV News he opposes the change, as 16-year-olds cannot stand for Parliament. Supporters, including the Liberal Democrats and Greens, argue it will foster lifelong democratic engagement, citing Scotland’s 75% turnout among 16- and 17-year-olds in the 2014 independence referendum.

The government plans to enhance citizenship education to prepare young voters, though the policy’s absence from the 2024 King’s Speech had raised doubts about its priority. Labour insists the reform will be in place by the 2029 general election.