01 Aug 2025
The Government’s announcement that the age UK residents can vote in elections will be reduced from 18 to 16 has been condemned as a vote-grabbing exercise by the local Reform party.
The move, which could see an extra 1.5 million voters potentially having their say at the next General Election, was met with approval by local representatives of the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour and Greens.
But Eleanor Jackson, interim chair of St Albans Constituency Reform UK Branch Party, was less positive about the move.
She said: “Reform UK St Albans disagrees with the lowering of the voting age to 16. This is an obvious move to tap into a demographic who are historically sympathetic to the Labour Party.
“Most 16 year-olds are still at school, living at home, and have little understanding of how Government policies impact daily life. They don’t have full adult rights in other areas – and cannot be a political candidate themselves – which makes this change inconsistent.
“Of course we must encourage young people to get involved with politics, but lowering the voting age now is an attempt at political gain and not at well-meaning, genuine reform.”
