Labour would allow 16-year-olds to vote in future general elections

The policy is likely to benefit Labour in future elections. In a recent YouGov poll for The Times, Labour commanded a 25-point lead over the Tories, with the party on 46 per cent of the vote and the Conservatives on 21 per cent. Among 18 to 24-year-olds that gap widened, with 54 per cent planning to vote Labour at the next election compared to just 9 per cent for the Tories.

One senior Labour source said: “It [the policy] has the double benefit of not costing very much to do but of helping secure a second Labour term.”

It is not clear how strong an electoral advantage the policy would be for Labour. YouGov's latest MRP poll, conducted in March 2024, gave Labour a 154-seat majority with the party winning 403 seats to the Tories' 155.

Yet an analysis by The Times of population data suggested that if 16 and 17-year-olds were allowed to vote — and they voted in a similar way as 18 to 24-year-olds — it could result in an additional eight seats flipping from the Conservatives to Labour in England alone. This could increase Labour's potential majority to at least 170.

The seats where 16 and 17-year-olds could make a difference are predominantly in southern England, and include Aldershot, Aylesbury, Bridgwater, Frome and East Somerset, Hornchurch and Upminster, Mid Derbyshire, North East Hertfordshire, and Sittingbourne & Sheppey.

Patrick English, director of political analytics at YouGov, said: “We would generally expect that lowering the voting age would be electorally advantageous to Labour, as younger people are significantly more likely to back them over the Conservatives, or indeed any other party.”

The typical 18-year-old was almost ten times more likely to back Labour than the Conservatives, he said, and this would be expected to be similar for 16 and 17-year-olds.

“However, we also know that young people are among the most unlikely voter groups to actually turn out. So, any advantage Labour have in terms of raw support among this potential new block of young voters will be significantly reduced at the ballot box by their low participation rates,” English added.

Florence Eshalomi, the shadow minister for local government, said: “Fourteen years of chaos under the Conservatives has left many feeling ignored and left out by the political system. Labour is committed to restoring a sense of trust and national pride and that includes by strengthening our democracy.

“Our elections are built on the basic principle that those who contribute to our country should have a say in how it is governed. Yet 16 and 17-year-olds are still blocked from voting in English elections.

“It's time to turn the page on the eroding of our democracy and give the next generation a chance to help shape their future.”