Sixteen and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in next general election

Sixteen and 17 twelvemonth olds volition beryllium capable to ballot successful each UK elections successful the biggest betterment to the electoral strategy since 1969.

The authorities said it volition springiness young radical the close to ballot successful the adjacent wide election, thing Labour promised successful its manifesto past summer.

They tin already ballot successful Senedd elections successful Wales and Holyrood elections successful Scotland, but this volition mean each 16 and 17 twelvemonth olds crossed the UK tin ballot successful local, determination and wide elections.

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Up to 9.5 cardinal much radical volition present beryllium capable to vote, the IPPR thinktank said. The latest figures amusement 48,208,507 radical are registered to vote.

The past clip the voting property was changed was successful 1969 erstwhile it was reduced from 21 to 18.

The authorities has said the alteration volition "boost antiauthoritarian engagement successful a changing world, and assistance to reconstruct spot successful UK democracy".

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: "For excessively agelong nationalist spot successful our ideology has been damaged and religion successful our institutions has been allowed to decline.       

"We are taking enactment to interruption down barriers to information that volition guarantee much radical person the accidental to prosecute successful UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change, and delivering connected our manifesto committedness to springiness 16 twelvemonth olds the close to vote.   

"We cannot instrumentality our ideology for granted, and by protecting our elections from maltreatment and boosting information we volition fortify the foundations of our nine for the future."

Bank cards allowed arsenic elector ID

As portion of the strategy, elector ID volition besides beryllium extended to see UK-issued slope cards.

When different IDs that are already accepted, specified arsenic the seasoned paper and UK driving licences, go digitised, they volition besides beryllium accepted successful that form.

A integer Voter Authority Certificate volition besides beryllium created to guarantee electoral registration officers, who support registers of electors and absent voters, volition beryllium capable to judge integer forms of ID.

Close loopholes for overseas donors

In an effort to boost transparency and accountability successful politics, the authorities said it volition adjacent loopholes allowing overseas donors via "shell companies" to power UK governmental parties.

New requirements volition beryllium introduced truthful unincorporated associations volition person to transportation retired checks connected donations implicit £500 to tackle overseas interference.

The Electoral Commission volition besides beryllium fixed caller powers to enforce heavier fines of up to £500,000 connected those who breach governmental concern rules, and alteration tougher sentences for those who maltreatment predetermination campaigners.