Votes at 16 campaigners were left disappointed last week after lack of time for a parliamentary debate meant they missed out on what had been billed as a real chance to lower the voting age (YPN, 11-17 January, p6).
Natascha Engel, the Labour MP for North East Derbyshire, had been expected to propose an amendment to the electoral administration bill to lower the voting age. A Votes at 16 Coalition meeting the previous evening had suggested there was significant support among MPs.
But a lengthy debate on the voting rights of prisoners delayed progress, and a final vote had to be taken before the amendment could be put forward.
Clare Oliver, head of policy and communications at the British Youth Council, said: "We were disappointed, but we will be pushing it forward when the bill goes to the House of Lords."
