Speaking at an event chaired by British Youth Council chair Liam Preston, Martin Fairclough, head of community and campaigns at the Co-operative Group, said over the next two to three years the group wanted to help bring about a cultural shift in the way young people are perceived.
He said: "If we are going to encourage young people to play their full part in society and to change their role in a passionate way, they need political capital to do that. The last time the vote was extended was in 1969 when it went from 21 to 18.
"Just look at what's taken place in those 40 years. Look at a typical 18 year old then and a 16 year old now — their understanding of the world, their education. Surely it is time to accept that they are just as sophisticated as the 18-year-olds were in 1969. Who would not want to harness their energy, insight and passion? They have a right to shape the world they are now in."
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