London, Dec 07: Britain plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 to involve the younger generation in the political process at an early age, a top official has said. "If we want to both engage young people and make them discharge their responsibilities then I think there's got to be a quid pro quo of letting them see greater influence in the political process," Lord Falconer, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, said in an interview published today.
British government officials said the positive response to the issue was part of a wider "radical agenda" on constitutional reform.
"The government wants to be seen to be tackling the growing sense of disillusionment among the young about politics and also show that it still has the stomach for far-reaching policies despite chronic political problems over top-up fees for university students and house of lords reform," a senior official said.
Falconer who sits in the lords, told 'the observer' that he wanted to have a further debate about "democratising" the house which the government now planned to replace with a second chamber appointed by a government-backed committee.
Bureau Report