‘Help us vote by teaching us more about politics’ -17-year-olds | Manchester News

Teenagers in Greater Manchester have welcomed the lowering of the voting age but said the change needs to come with an “unbiased” education about politics in schools.

The government has announced that 16 and 17 year-olds will be able to vote at the next general election.

But a group of 17 year-olds told Radio Manchester they want to be taught more about politics in schools to properly prepare them for casting a vote.

Samir said: “I think it’s only fair really that you can vote for people who choose how the money is spent from your taxation.”

He represents Bury in the UK Youth Parliament, has welcomed confirmation the Labour government will go ahead with its manifesto promise change the voting age.

He said; “I think it’s fantastic the government’s announced votes at 16 and lowering the voting age. Young people can join the army, they can pay tax, they can drive a car at 17.

“I think there is a lot of young people that are interested and I think if the government pushes political education it’ll get more young people involved.”

Zain, from Bury, is interested in politics but not involved in the Youth Parliament, and said he felt the voting age should have been lowered earlier.

He said: “I think that if 16 year olds can work and potentially earn enough to pay taxes they should have a say in what the government does with their tax revenue and where it goes for example like schools.”

“If politicians have to factor in that young people are also going to be voting then they have to try and appeal to the younger people as well and so I think there’ll be a change in what their policies are,” he added.

Amelia, who’s also from Bury, said: “I was 16 during the last election and I didn’t get a say.

“And I’m going to be 20 roughly around the time when the next election comes and that’s a large part of my life which has been affected which I just couldn’t do anything about.”

She said she thinks younger people would take more interest in politics if they’re encouraged to.

Amelia said: “Maybe not everyone has an interest in politics but it’s the same way that not every adult has an interest in politics.

“I think you involve them in the conversation and then they will gain that interest,” she added.

Milton, 17 from Manchester, has been politically active since he was 14 but he does not believe lowering the voting age is necessary.

He said: “Adulthood is set at 18 in this country, so before that you can’t buy alcohol in the store, you can’t buy fireworks, you can’t buy cigarettes, and so legally, it doesn’t really make sense.

“Some are mature enough to vote, some aren’t and it leaves people to possibly be influenced by adults like their parents or someone online saying, ‘you should vote for this person, that person’.

“And I don’t think that would have a great affects on the electoral system.”

Safi, who represents Stockport in the Youth Parliament, said she is happy about the move but thinks more political education at school is essential to prepare teenagers to vote.

She said; “Young people need to feel confident in their vote like we can’t give them the vote without them being educated enough to actually make the right decision for them.

“I think it needs to be delivered in a very standardised, unbiased way so that young people can choose what aligns with their beliefs the most.”