Contribution
My Lords, I welcome this Bill, which should help strengthen our democracy at a time when it is under some strain. The extension of the franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds, following Scotland and Wales, represents an important step in recognising the contribution many of them already make as citizens and in enabling them to contribute to political decisions that will help determine their futures. However, as I know from my own earlier research as an academic, some young people do not feel prepared for this new responsibility.
The Select Committee on Citizenship and Civic Engagement, of which I was a member, emphasised citizenship education’s
“crucial role to play in helping to build active citizens”.
It deplored the way in which the previous Government had allowed it
“to degrade to a parlous state”
and expressed concern that, in emphasising individual character, it was failing to develop much-needed political literacy. It is welcome that the Government will make citizenship education mandatory in primary as well as secondary schools, but the Association for Citizenship Teaching has warned that some of the proposed curriculum changes risk weakening the contribution it can make to
“preparing young people for participation in democratic life”.
I therefore encourage my noble friend the Minister, if she has not already done so, to read the very useful recent report from the APPG for Schools, Learning and Assessment Empowering Students as Democratic Citizens: How Schools and Colleges Can Prepare Young People for Votes at 16. The report cites studies which demonstrate that
“effective democratic education in schools can positively impact young people’s intended political engagement as well as perceptions of political efficacy, confidence, interest and trust in politics—all important factors associated with voting in elections”.
Yet access to such education is generally poor and inconsistent, with more marginalised groups likely to lose out. A year 8 student who gave evidence said:
“Equipping us with political education is … a democratic necessity”.
The Bill’s provision for automatic voter registration is of particular importance to young people—and to private renters—but it needs strengthening so that it becomes a duty and has a clear, speedy timeline.
The Women’s Democracy Group emphasises the need to improve the diversity of political candidates, including through the implementation of Section 106 of the Equality Act, which would require parties to publish data on the protected characteristics of candidates standing for national elections. The Government are committed to commencing Section 106, but have refused to provide any kind of timeline for doing so or for the prior consultation process. Centenary Action argues that Section 106 is a vital tool for helping to move the dial on diversity of representation by bringing greater transparency, and that it is essential that it is enacted as soon as possible in time for preparation for the next election, which could well occur during the centenary year of equal franchise. Can my noble friend give us some idea of when action will be taken on this?
If we are to come into line with Scotland and Wales, we should also extend the franchise to foreign residents, as argued by my honourable friend James Naish MP, drawing on the work of the Migrant Democracy Project, which I met earlier this year. The project argues rightly that
“democracy works best when it is inclusive for all who it serves. All those who call the UK their home have vested political and social interest in how their communities and country are governed”.
Back in 2022, the now Justice Secretary, Alex Norris MP, tabled an amendment which would have achieved just that. Surely an inclusive Representation of the People Bill should not exclude this particular group of people. I therefore ask my noble friend whether she will look at the case for their inclusion.
In conclusion, I support those arguing for stronger limits on political donations and for the establishment of a commission for electoral reform. The widely supported amendment on the latter was deemed out of scope in the Commons, with Minister Eshalomi arguing that
“it is premature to legislate now for one approach”—[Official Report, Commons, 2/9/26; col. 342.]
to electoral reform. But the whole point of a commission is to examine a range of approaches, ideally drawing on the wisdom of a citizens’ assembly. That said, I welcome her willingness to discuss next steps and hope that my noble friend will say the same; in her opening remarks, she implied that she was open to discussing anything with Members of this House. Of course, a commission does not require legislation, but it would mark an important step towards what my noble friend Lord Kinnock recently described as a “profound act of democratisation”.