UK To Lower Voting Age To 16 Before Next General Election

The UK plans to lower the voting age to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in the next general election, as part of a package of electoral reforms that also include clamping down on political donations from foreign donors.

The lower voting age will bring UK-wide elections in line with those in Scotland and Wales, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said on Thursday in a statement. The current voting age in national ballots is 18, and the changes to the law will be brought in through a new elections bill. The next election could be held as late as mid-2029.

The government also pledged to “boost transparency and accountability in politics” by closing loopholes which currently allow foreign donors to use shell-companies to donate to political parties. Checks on donations over £500 will also be required to tackle foreign interference, the government said in a statement. 

The plans — which also broaden the voter identification options to include UK-issued bank cards — aim to strengthen British democracy by increasing transparency around political funding and making it easier for more people to vote. There are also potential benefits for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government because younger voters were more likely to vote for the party at the last election.

The government has been in discussions with Britain’s election watchdog about tougher rules on political donations for several months, spurred by speculation that the billionaire Elon Musk could inject millions into Nigel Farage’s populist, poll-leading Reform UK party. Some media outlets last year reported that the world’s richest man was considering a donation of as much as £100 million (£134 million) to Reform, a lump sum that would smash British political records. Musk however has not yet made such a donation. 

Starmer’s spokesman, Tom Wells, told reporters on Thursday that the new proposals will stop money from individuals who aren’t permitted to vote in the UK from donating to political parties, but rejected the suggestion that these measures are designed to target any specific individual or party. 

“The current status quo means that a new company registered today, owned by anyone, funded from anywhere, can donate and have influence on UK politics,” he said.

Under the current rules, there’s no limit on the amount political parties can raise — but they cannot take money from a foreign individual. However, any company registered in the UK and is active can make donations.

“For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline,” Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said in the statement. “We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future.”   

The Electoral Commission will be given powers to enforce heavier fines of up to £500,000 on those who breach political finance rules, and enable tougher sentences for those who abuse election campaigners, the government said. It will also introduce ‘know your donor’ checks, requiring recipients of donations to conduct enhanced checks to decrease the risk of illegitimate donations. 

The UK will also expand voter ID options, to make it easier for people to vote if they do not hold a passport of driving licence. UK-issued bank cards as well as digital versions of veteran cards and driving licenses will be accepted. 

Expansion of the voting franchise to include more teenagers was an electoral pledge Labour made at the last general election, with the party arguing that young people who work, pay taxes and serve in the military should also be allowed to vote. 

A YouGov study of more than 35,000 people who voted in last year’s general election found that 41% of 18-24-year-olds voted Labour, compared with 34% of 50-59-year-olds, 28% of 60-69-year-olds, and 20% of over-70s. It also found that younger voters were more likely to vote Green — a party to the left of Labour, suggesting there’s also some danger for the governing party in expanding the franchise. Wells rejected tghe suggestion the move was designed to increase support for Labour.