5th April 2011

MP supports Votes at 16

Alan Keen MP has shown his support for votes at 16 by becoming an official supporter on the campaign’s website.

There are over 1.5 million 16 and 17 year-olds in the UK currently denied the vote. Young people, organisations and a network of politicians are part of a UK wide campaign calling for the voting age to be lowered.

Alan is featured on the supporters’ map on the campaign’s new interactive website.

Commenting, Alan Keen said:

““I wholeheartedly support lowering the voting age to 16. Young people must be heard, including at the ballot box. We need to rebuild trust in Politics, so it is vital that politicians engage with young people.

“Voting would give young people a real stake in their communities and an opportunity to play their part in society. I believe this move would also help to boost democratic and parliamentary renewal.

“I call on people of all ages to back this campaign by visiting the site and becoming a supporter too.”

The campaign can be found at www.votesat16.org.uk.

The campaign website is run by the Votes at 16 coalition, a group of over fifty youth and democracy organisations, who are steered by the British Youth Council, The Co-operative, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, the National Union of Students and the Scottish Youth Parliament.