Your view: MPs suggest bringing voting age down to 16

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Page last updated at 14:24 GMT, Thursday, 24 January 2013

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By Amelia Butterly
Newsbeat reporter Ballot box

Labour are supporting a bid led by a Liberal Democrat MP to lower the voting age in the UK to 16.

The Lib Dems promised the change in their 2010 manifesto and Labour pledged to give MPs a free vote on the issue.

The backbench motion calls for 16-year-olds to be given the vote in all elections and referendums.

Lib Dem Stephen Williams, who called the debate, says reducing the voting age would be "a vital step in the renewal of Britain's democracy".

Downing Street has said no change will be made to the voting age in UK elections because David Cameron opposes it.

Sixteen-year-olds in Scotland are set to be allowed to vote in the referendum on independence, due in 2014.

Here's a selection of your tweets and Facebook messages on whether giving the vote to under-18s is a good idea.

In favour

Kevin Crowe - If a person pays tax or eligible to be of age to pay tax, they should have a vote. Whether or not a person chooses to vote is another matter.

Adam Page - I was working and paying tax at 16, so why shouldn't they get a say in what it's spent on? The current government is probably worried it would mean more votes against them next time around.

Caz Murphy - I think it could be interesting, after all at 16 a lot [of people] do go to college and study politics.

Graeme Sharpe - Absolutely. No quibble. They're old enough to pay NI and represent the country abroad, they should have a say in how it's run.

Against

Kez - I'm 19 and I still don't know who to vote for. Leaving it to 16-year-olds is ridiculous and 90% probably wouldn't vote anyway.

Jacob Leon Austin - What's the point? Very few 18-year-olds make an informed choice upon receiving the chance and that's even if they take it up!

Jodie Fergusson - No way! I'm almost 19 and still felt very uninformed when I first voted - not enough education to help their decisions.

Matt Gardner - If you're not old enough to drink legally should you be able to decide who launches nuclear weapons? Few under-18s know themselves at such a young age.

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