Keir Starmer nonetheless dedicated to votes for 16 12 months olds

Keir Starmer has said he’s still committed to introducing votes for 16 and 17-year-olds – despite the plans being missing from the King’s Speech.

The PM said he stood by Labour’s manifesto pledge to reduce the voting age in all elections – adding over a million people to the electorate.

Labour’s manifesto promised: “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”.

At the government’s post-election King’s Speech, which set out the new PM’s political priorities for the coming, the policy was notably absent.

But speaking to reporters in Washington DC, the PM acknowledged the voting change was absent at the King’s speech, but he added: “We are committed to it.”

During the election campaign, the then-PM Rishi Sunak accused Mr Starmer of pushing for a change in the voting age because “he thinks that it is electorally helpful” for Labour.

But Mr Starmer argued at the time: “If you can work, if you can pay tax, if you can serve in your armed forces, then you ought to be able to vote.”

Under existing laws the voting age at general elections is 18 – but different rules apply for local and devolved elections.

In both Scotland and Wales, 16 and 17-year-olds are able to cast a ballot in both local and devolved and local elections. In England and in Northern Ireland the age remains at 18.