General Secretary BILL MORRIS Regional Secretary ANDREW BAIRD
NEWS RELEASE Transport House 290 Bath Street Glasgow G2 4LD Phone: 0141 332 7321 Fax: 0141 332 6157
Monday 14th April 2003
T&G supports calls for the lower voting age. Speaking at the STUC in Inverness today, T&G Scotland delegate, Brian Lettis, called upon the Congress to give its support to lowering the voting age in elections from 18 to 16.
During a debate on the issue, Mr Lettis said:
"Not letting 16 and 17 year olds express their political views through the ballot box gives the impression to young people and to the rest of society that their views are not valid and that young people are not real citizens, it contributes to the disconnection that many young people feel from the political process.
There is a great inconsistency about the age at which a young person can vote, compared to the age at which they can leave school, work full-time, pay national insurance and income tax, pay adult rates for services, get married and join the armed forces.
There is no rational reason why voting rights should not be extended to 16 and 17year olds.
The arguments put forward for denying them the vote are the same as those put forward previously for denying women and the working class the right to vote. It was said that they were too innocent of the world, they didn't have the knowledge to make an informed choice and that those who did have the right, knew what was best for them.
These arguments are as wrong now as they were then."
ENDS
For further information please contact Nicola Fotheringham on 07810157931
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