The think-tank Demos has released a report today (5 April 2010) calling for the voting age to be reduced to 16. Drawing on human rights arguments and research cited in the Children's Rights Alliance for England's (CRAE) submission to the Youth Citizenship Commission last year, Demos concludes:

Power in a democracy should be in the hands of the many, not the few. Eight decades ago, women were entrusted with the vote for British parliamentary elections, on a par with men. Four decades ago, the right of those aged 18 and over to choose their government was recognised. Today it is time to enfranchise a group that includes citizens who pay income tax, who shoulder the responsibilities of company directors, who are husbands and wives, and who fight - and die - for their country.

A decade ago CRAE published a pamphlet calling for the enfrancisement of 16 and 17 year-olds and then established the Votes at 16 coalition in 2003. The report from Demos - called The New Frontier - follows the Co-operative Group's welcome decision in February this year to join the Votes at 16 coalition.

Read the Demos report (external site).

Find out more about the Votes at 16 coalition here (external site).

Read more about CRAE's work to lower the voting age to 16.