A Brighton MP asked the Leader of the House of Commons when a vote would be held on lowering the voting age from 18 to 16.
Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, raised the subject at business questions on Thursday (6 February).
Commons Leader Lucy Powell said that she “strongly supports” votes at 16 and hoped that MPs could have their say on the relevant legislation in the next parliamentary session.
Parliamentary sessions have no fixed length but tend to last for about 12 months, with the current 2024-25 session having started after the general election last July.
At the last election, Labour pledged to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections but did not include legislation to make the change in its first King’s Speech.
Mr Ward told the Commons that sixth-form students in his constituency had asked him when MPs would vote on lowering the voting age.
He said: “I did my best, told them we had a manifesto commitment and I hoped that it would be later this year.
“But I wonder whether the Leader of the House can do one better and confirm for me what the right answer is and when we’ll have a vote in this house?”
Ms Powell replied: “I know this is an issue close to his heart as well as something he strongly supports, as I do.
“I think votes at 16 was one of the really important measures in our manifesto.”
Ms Powell added: “He will know it’s not been identified in a bill in this session but I hope in probably the next session an elections bill which includes votes at 16 will be forthcoming and we’ll all get a chance to vote for it, as I know he and I both will.”
