Labour to give votes to 16 and 17-year-olds – but plan blasted as ‘vote rigging’

LABOUR will give kids aged 16 and 17 the vote if they are elected, the party's manifesto has confirmed.

The measure - set to hand voting rights to an extra 1.5 million teenagers - was one of the most high-profile commitments made by Sir Keir Starmer in the lead-up to his manifesto launch this morning.

Opponents of the measure had previously branded the move as a form of vote rigging as the majority of young people already vote Labour.

Today's plans said: "To encourage participation in our democracy, Labour will improve voter registration and address the inconsistencies in voter ID rules that prevent legitimate voters from voting.

"For example, in the case of HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

"We will increase the engagement of young people in our vibrant democracy, by giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.

"And we will protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties."

At the Labour manifesto launch, Sir Keir Starmer…

• Ruled out raising income tax, national insurance, or VAT
• Committed to keeping the pensions triple lock
• Promised a benefits shake-up to get sick people working
• Pledged to remove the ‘discriminatory’ minimum wage age bands
• Vowed to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s
• Confirmed a plan to give 16-year-olds the vote
• Promised to slap VAT on private schools to fund 6,500 new teachers
• Pledged to build 1.5million new homes

Earlier this month a study found the measure was unpopular with the public, including key swing voter groups.

The study also found that the public thinks Labour wants to lower the voting age to hoover up more votes from new voters.