During Scotland's independence referendum, 16- and 17-year-olds were allowed to vote for the first time and showed themselves to be engaged in the political process. As a result, many political parties and figures support lowering the national voting age to 16 for UK elections, though the Conservatives remain opposed. While Cameron has said he is open to a parliamentary vote on the issue, his spokesman stated he sees no compelling argument for lowering the voting age. Currently, 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in Scottish elections but not UK-wide ones.

1. “Duringthe Scottishreferendum, 16- to18-year-olds
were enfranchisedforthe firsttime.Theyshowed
themselvestobe highlyengagedwiththe
campaigns,makingapositive contributiontothe
publicdebate aboutScotland’sconstitutional future.
Scotland’sfirstminister,Alex Salmond,wasso
impressed,infact,that he declared there was“nota
shredof evidence forarguingthat16- and17-year-
oldsshouldnotbe allowedtovote. Andsupportfor
loweringthe votingage extendsbeyondScotland
across the rest of the UK, withmost political parties,
youthorganisationsandevensome newspapers
supportingthe proposition.EdMilibandrestatedatthe Manchesterpartyconference thataLabour
governmentwouldintroduce votesat16 to allow usto “hear the voice of youngpeople inour
politics”.Onlythe Conservativescontinue tooppose demandstolowerthe votingage.” -
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/10/uk-voting-age-16-youth-politics
DavidCameronhas saidhe wouldbe opento leavingittoMPs inthe Commonstodecide whether
the vote shouldbe extendedto16- and 17-year-olds.Speakingatprime minister’squestions,he
said:“I’m veryhappyforus to have a vote.Personally,Ithinkthe rightage is18.”
His wordssuggestedthere couldbe afree vote onthe issue,whichwouldallow MPstogo against
theirparty’sofficial line.
Cameronwasrespondingtoa questionfromJohnRobertson,LabourMPfor Glasgow NorthWest,
whosaid:“The one thingthat wasclear aboutthe referendumin Scotland wasthe amountof young
people thatwere gettinginvolved…Isit nottime that we got the rest of the country onboard and
got votesfor16- and 17-year-olds?”
A spokesmanforthe prime ministerwouldnotspeculate onwhenavote mightbe held,butsaid
Cameronsawno compellingargumenttolowerthe votingage.
Followingrecommendationsof LordSmith’sall-partycommissiononincreasingdevolutionafterthe
Scottishindependence referendum, Cameronagreedtodevolveelectoral powerstothe Scottish
parliament,meaning124,000 Scottish16- and 17-year-oldsare able tovote in electionstoHolyrood
and forScotland’s32 local authorities.
Although the Conservative party’sofficial lineisthatthe votingage shouldremainat18, a number
of backbenchers,includingformerministerDamianGreen,have expressedsupportforreducingthe
votingage to 16 across all elections. -
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/07/cameron-happy-hold-vote-lowering-
voting-age-16

2. There are over1.5 million16and 17 yearoldsinthe UK deniedthe vote. We are a campaignmade
up of youngpeople,organisationsandnetworkof politiciansacrossthe UK.
We’re readyfor Votesat16 because itwill:
Engage,16 and 17 year oldsat the ballotwhoholdmanyresponsibilitiesinoursociety
Empower,16 and 17 year olds,througha democraticright,toinfluence decisionsthatwill define
theirfuture
Inspire youngpeopletogetinvolvedinourdemocracy. - http://www.votesat16.org/about/