After the IndyRef experience it’s going to be harder not to allow 16/17 year olds to vote in the EU referendum
? Shadow Foreign Secretary @hilarybennmp says Labour will seek to change EU bill:http://t.co/iYJyvaiOon #wato pic.twitter.com/jfFcQzGRds
— The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) May 25, 2015
When Alex Salmond pushed through his measure to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in last September’s IndyRef in Scotland it was only a matter of time before this became an issue for the whole of the country.
With constitutional change, like Scotland going independent or Britain leaving the EU, there’s clearly a strong argument that those who will be most affected, the young, should be able to participate in the decision.
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After their apparent reversal on having an EU referendum at all Labour clearly wants to be seen to be doing something that means this is not all a Tory measure.
The big risk to Cameron is that the referendum bill could get clogged up in the House of Lords where it is in the minority. A concession, using the Scottish precedent is possible although it will be strongly opposed by some sections of the blue team.
The polling suggests that the older you are the more you oppose Britain remaining in the EU.