Why 16 & 17 year olds should have a vote in Scotland's #indyref by Iain Shepherd

The people of Scotland have always held true to democratic principles. The ideals of
freedom and liberty have been advocated in Scotland for many years. The Declaration
of Arbroath, 6th April 1320, was a document which promoted the virtues of liberty
and from that day the Scottish people have followed in the path of these ideals.
Today we are faced with the greatest decision our nation has had to make for over
300 years: whether Scotland should be an independent sovereign nation or not.
Given the commitment of the Scottish people to the virtues of liberty and
democracy is it fair that in the holding of this referendum the UK Government
should force us to ignore our commitment to these values?

I speak of the exclusion from the right to vote of 16 and 17 year olds. A basic
principle of democracy is that those under the authority of a law should have a
say in shaping and changing that law - Government by consent. Under Scots Law
any person over 16 years of age is held legally responsible for themselves and thus
bound to follow the law.

Consequently, is it not democratic that they should then have a say in the forming
of this law? Unionists will tell you that the SNP did not change the law to allow
anyone over 16 to vote in the Local Council Elections. There is a simple reason for
this, the SNP do not have the power to do so. That power is still reserved to the
UK, this is a problem incidentally which independence could solve. The SNP did
however allow 16 year olds to vote in the election of health boards as per the Health
Boards Bill, showing its support for the values of Democracy.

Why then will the UK Government not follow, and accept that as a democratic principle
16 year olds should be allowed to vote in the shaping of the most important law in
centuries, the constitutional status of our nation?
Those aged 16 years and above are able to get married, pay taxes, and fight in the
armed services. It is un-democratic for the UK Government to prevent those above
the age of 16 voting in the referendum as they are held accountable by Scots Law
and therefore should have a say in shaping it.

I call on the UK Government to practice what it preaches and if it is a democratic
institution then allow Scots aged 16 and 17 year old their democratic right and
not attempt to block them voting in the Independence Referendum.

Iain Shepherd studies at University of the West of Scotland