Lord Macintosh of Eastwood (Lab) (Maiden Speech)

I thank the Lord Speaker and Members across the Chamber for the warmth and generosity of their welcome. Only today, the Electoral Commission published a warning about the increasing levels of hostility and violence in our politics, and the contrast of the civility, reasonableness and friendship that all sides have offered me has been a real tonic. I thank all Members for that and for reminding me of the importance of practising, as well as protecting, our democratic values. It gives me great pleasure to make my first contribution in this debate on the Representation of the People Bill. Before I do, I hope Members will allow me to say a few words of thanks, beginning with to the Clerk of the Parliaments, her staff, Black Rod and his team. I have been here only a few days, and already I have been rescued from marching the fellow newbie, the noble Lord, Lord Singh, into the wrong committee room; I have been steered politely out of the Palace kitchens, and I was gently prevented from walking into the Commons during a Division, so I will be very grateful if that level of support continues. I particularly thank my two supporters, the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, and the noble Baroness, Lady MacLeod of Camusdarach. I have not taken a similarly Gaelic placename, but it is a great pleasure when I am occasionally referred to as a Sgitheanach—someone from the Isle of Skye. My family on my father’s side come from Skye, and I am very proud of them and that my roots are in the Highlands and Islands. I should add that my politics mostly come from my mother, who, at 90, is as sharp, principled and, dare I say it, left wing as ever. When I broke the news of my appointment to the House of Lords, I think she was genuinely torn between her motherly pride and her embarrassment that her son would take a title. She does not regard me so much as red Ken as perhaps ochre or salmon pink. Without turning this into an Oscar acceptance speech, I also thank my wife, Claire. I am sure Members who have the valuable support of a partner will know how much it matters and how little you achieve without it. I thank her and my children and wider family for keeping my feet on the ground. Claire and I first met when I was still working for the BBC—an organisation whose future is uncertain and to which I hope we will come back at some point. I went on to be elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and was fortunate enough to serve there for 22 years, so Members will not be surprised to hear how much weight I put on the importance of parliamentary democracy and standing up for the rights of the people we serve. The Bill before us introduces a number of reforms that I believe will strengthen those democratic rights. From my own experience, I want to reflect on just one proposal around which I have already heard expressions of unease. Those Members familiar with the Scottish Parliament will know that we introduced votes for 16 year-olds some 10 years ago. Then, as now, we were concerned about falling participation rates among our young people, and I for one hoped that such a move would encourage young people to exercise their democratic rights. The evidence collected since then would suggest that that is exactly what happened. One University of Edinburgh study, for example, showed that voter turnout among young people who first vote at the ages of 16 and 17 is greater than among those who were not offered that opportunity. Further studies that look internationally confirm that finding and suggest that the fear that young people will, for example, be drawn to populism or electoral stupidity is not borne out—in fact, quite the reverse. What happens is that young people who use their votes at the ages of 16 and 17 have greater confidence that their vote will make a difference and shape their future and our society. So it is very much to be encouraged and is an important aspect of the Bill. I believe that the Bill will make a huge difference to our country, but, in an increasingly hostile world, what matters is what we do with our democratic rights: the houses that we build, the social care that we transform and the economic opportunities that we offer our young people. What matters today, though, is that we demonstrate that electoral reform and using your democratic mandate does make a difference—that we do not believe in the strongman approach to politics, countering aggression with aggression, or that money can buy you power. We need to show that understanding and empathy are what works, and that collaboration and co-operation make a difference. I believe the Bill will do exactly that. I am hugely encouraged by the attitude of your Lordships across this House, which shows that we can practise politics with kindness and compassion too.