Jim McMahon (politician): Difference between revisions

On being selected to present a Private Members Bill, McMahon moved the Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill 2017–19,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2017-19/representationofthepeopleyoungpeoplesenfranchisementandeducation.html|title=Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill|website=bills.parliament.uk|access-date=2019-07-09|archive-date=30 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430095444/https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2074|url-status=live}}</ref> which sought to extend the franchise across the United Kingdom to [[Votes at 16|eligible voters aged 16 and 17]]. The Bill included measures to introduce citizenship and the constitution education in schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0015/cbill_2017-20190015_en_1.htm|at=Part 2 Section 4 and 5|archive-date=30 April 2024 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430095756/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0015/cbill_2017-20190015_en_1.htm|title=Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill (HC Bill 15)|website=publications.parliament.uk|access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

The Bill was supported by MPs from all political parties represented in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]], with the exception of the [[Democratic Unionist Party|DUP]], with its supporters including then Labour Party Leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]], then Labour Deputy Leader [[Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest|Tom Watson]], [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] MP [[Peter Bottomley]], then [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] Deputy Leader [[Jo Swinson]], and [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] MP [[Caroline Lucas]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jim McMahon: Give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to choose their government|url=https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/jim-mcmahon-give-16-and-17yearolds-the-right-to-choose-their-government|date=2020-02-25|website=Politics Home|language=en|access-date=2020-04-30}}</ref>

The Bill received its Second Reading in November 2017, but did not progress any further.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-mp-jim-mcmahon-just-destroyed-the-tories-for-trying-to-block-debate-on-youth-votes_uk_59fc6fa0e4b0b0c7fa399600|title=Labour MP Jim McMahon Hits Out At The Tories For Trying To Block Debate On Youth Votes|date=2017-11-03|website=HuffPost UK|language=en|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> It led to the establishment of the cross party All Party Parliamentary Group on Votes at 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.byc.org.uk/uk/votesat16appg|title=All Party Parliamentary Group on Votes at 16|website=British Youth Council|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref>