UKPOL 1.2DP - Participation and Suffrage

Name the key reform dates to UK suffrage

• 1832 Great Reform Act

• 1918 Representation of the People Act

• 1928 Equal Franchise Act

• 1969 Representation of the People Act

What was the 1832 Great reform act

• broadened the franchise to middle class men

What was the 1918 Representation of the People Act

• Gave the franchise to women over the age of 30 (who met the property qualification)

• Gave the franchise to all men over the age of 21

• Included women and men of colour

What was the 1928 Representation of the People Act (Equal Franchise Act)

• Granted equal voting rights to men and women

  • Both men and women could vote at the age of 21

What was the 1969 Representation of the People Act

• lowered voting age to 18

What work has been done to attempt to further extend the franchise

• votes at 16

• votes for prisoners

• votes for immigrants

Who is excluded from the vote

• those under 18

• prisoners

• those sectioned under the mental health act

• peers in the HoL

• the homeless

• EU citizens settled in the UK

Why do some want to lower the voting age to 16?

• Corbyn and Labour in 2017

• believe that lowering the voting age further to 16 will increase participation, and get young people more involved in politics.

• will bring voting in line with other age restrictions for 16 year olds such as paying tax and working

Who are votes at 16

• coalition of different groups that believe the franchise should be extended to 16/17 year olds across the UK in all elections

• Founded in 2001

• Had 4290 registered supporters as of June 2020

What methods do Votes at 16 use?

• produce and publish information

• provided MP contact information

• provide advice on how to lobby MPs

Have votes at 16 had any successes

• not reached its sole goal

• has appeared in 2019 manifestos of Labour and the Lib Dems

• Voting age for elections in Scotland and Wales have been lowered to 16

• 2014 - voting age lowered for the Scottish independence referendum

Why havent the conservative government passed a further extension to the franchise (votes at 16)

• 1.5 million young voters are overwhelmingly anti-conservative

• would give left leaning parties a massive boost

Should 16 year olds get the vote YES

• 16 year olds are subject to other legal allowances such as joining the army , working and paying tax, getting married , drawing the line at voting is counterintuitive

• encourages politicians to include policies that appeal to and concern young people e.g. environmental

• potential increase in turnout which improves legitimacy

• could increase political education

Should 16 year olds get the vote NO

• clear restrictions on such legal allowances - dont see active combat till 18, most 16 year olds dont work enough to pay tax, need parental permission to get marries

• 16 year olds are more likely to be influenced by others

• no guarantee that turnout % will go up, 18-24 year olds have the lowest turnout currently - 52% in 2019 GE

• marginalised groups over 18 that dont get the vote, which is arguably more pressing than lowering the voting age