TIME TO GET #IN CAMPAIGN Highlighted

16 AND 17-YEAR-OLDS NOW A KEY PART OF SCOTLAND’S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

The SNP has today highlighted and welcomed a campaign to by the Electoral Commission to promote voter registration for young people.

The campaign - Time to get #IN – aims to ensure 16 and 17 year olds (and 15 year olds who will be 16 on polling day 5 May 2016) are informed and able to register to vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections.

The campaign is encouraging all schools and colleges across Scotland to hold a registration session during the week of 7-11 September.

Commenting, SNP Cunninghame South Candidate Ruth, who is also North Ayrshire Councils Youth Champion said: 

“I’m backing the Time to get #IN campaign by the Electoral Commission to encourage young people from across Scotland to get registered for next year’s elections. 

“In last year’s referendum 16, 17 and 18 year olds overwhelmingly grasped the opportunity to have their democratic voice heard, here in North Ayrshire the turnout was fantastic.

“Since then the Scottish Parliament passed The Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Act 2015 enabling 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland to vote at Scottish elections, including Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections. 

“Young people are now rightly considered a key part of the democratic process in Scotland – and the onus is on us all to ensure we make it is accessible and easy as possible to ensure the greatest number possible are registered to vote in May 2016.”

LIBDEMS CHALLENGED ON VOTES AT 16

The Scottish Parliament

I was interested to read that Deputy Prime Minister’s PPS Jo Swinson MP is set to host a meeting of the Votes at 16 Campaign Coalition in Westminster.  For me it's only right to extend the franchise for all elections to include young people.  It seems ridiculous that 16 and 17 year olds can work and pay tax, marry, join the armed forces but not have a say politically.  

While the UK Government has signalled it doesn’t want 16 and 17 year olds voting on Scotland’s future as they tried to dictate the terms of Scotland’s referendum, Ms Swinson says she will ‘bring together young people, organisations and parliamentarians to discuss the Votes at 16 campaign, including plans for a week of action’, on 27 February.

Labour and Lib Dem MPs and MSPs including the Leader of the Lib Dems Nick Clegg, the Deputy leaders of both parties in Scotland and the Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran have given their support to the Votes at 16 campaign and the Lib Dems, who voted with the SNP to  introduce votes at 16 in Scotland’s health board elections, promised to lower the voting age in their 2010 manifesto.

SNP MP Mike Weir comments:

“It is time the LibDems were honest about where they stand on votes for 16 and 17 year-olds. Is this one of those policies, like tuition fees, where the LibDems say one thing and do the other. Indeed, the LibDems have already let young people down once, will they do it again?

“16 and 17 year olds already play a part in our society.  They should be able to have their say over Scotland’s future.  “Attaching strings to Scotland’s referendum is simply not acceptable.  The referendum should be decided by the Scottish people and the Scottish parliament.

“It is ridiculous that politicians who say they support 16 and 17 year olds having a vote in elections would not support them voting in a referendum.  "And of course Lib Dems in Scotland have already backed votes for 16
and 17 year olds as part of elections to health boards.

“Penalising those 16 and 17 year olds who will be looking to the future of their country in an attempt to attack the SNP is just another sign of how badly the Tories, Lib Dems and now Labour are misreading the Scottish people.

“It is grossly unfair those aged 16 and 17 are able to play a major part in our society, to pay taxes, join the armed forces, consent to marriage but under UK Government plans will not be barred from making democratic decisions about their own future.

“All parties have accepted that the SNP has the right and mandate to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. The LibDems and Labour members have accepted that 16 and 17 year olds should be given the
vote. They should reaffirm their position, stop equivocating and ensure 16 and 17 year olds are able to vote.”

Independence 2014 - and how to stand for photos

Cunninghame South Candidates with
Margaret Burgess MSP & special guest Humza Yousaf MSP

Last nights Cunninghame South branch meeting was busy and buzzing with excitement.  The branch has welcomed nearly 100 new members this year so far.  I know it sounds like the sort of thing that people campaigning just say but there is a tangible sense of excitement and increased energy, it really has started.


Margaret Burgess MSP updated us on some of her activities in the parliament.  The good news that Irvine was announced as Life Sciences enterprise zone being one of the highlights.


Our guest speaker was Humza Yousaf MSP who kept everyone entertained as well as informed sharing his background and vision along with some of the stranger scare stories that had appeared in the press and online about what would happen in an Independent Scotland.  We were all suitably reassured about pandas etc!  Questions and discussion followed on both serious matters of engaging others in the debate, sharing a platform with other parties, figure heads and ambassadors for the yes campaign, that 3rd question and lighter issues too. In answer to Michelle Mones twitter outburst which muppet he would be.....Kermit.  


Also generously shared was the best way to stand for photographs, you'll see from the above pic who listened!  


The branch usually meets on the last Monday of the month at The Volunteer Rooms in Irvine.  Get in touch if you would like information about joining us.

Saturday Voting to boost turnout

For me, imagining an independent Scotland very much includes thinking about how we engage more people in the democratic process.  How we vote might be a good place to start, could there be different ways to the traditional ballet paper?  Participation in shows on TV is huge I wonder, would the same number of folk vote for talent show finalists if they had to go out in the wind and rain to their local school or community centre to do so.  With all our varied ways of communicating and sharing information quickly and easily is it time to take a leaf out of their book when it comes to engaging the people and use an electronic method?


I think so, I appreciate that there are probably cost implications and of course the security and integrity of the data collected would have to be paramount, but as we move forward it's certainly worth investigating.    

I read MSP Humza Yousaf's comments about Saturday voting with interest today and look forward to hearing more when the First Minister announces the referendum consultation on Wednesday.


A story in today’s Courier says that holding the historic vote on a Saturday will be one of the issues up for public discussion as part of the Scottish Government’s consultation document published on Wednesday.

Mr Yousaf, the SNP’s youngest MSP, said:

“This is an extremely interesting idea that could boost voter turnout.

“The vote on Scotland’s constitutional future will be one of the biggest decisions we will ever make as a country – it will be a truly historic day when people are given the chance to choose independence and equality for their country.

“That is why I welcome looking at options on how to boost the number of people who vote, and I look forward to hearing the details when the First Minister announces the consultation document on Wednesday.

“This document will give people the chance to judge the Scottish Government’s proposals and submit their views on how they want the referendum to be run. But we firmly believe the referendum must be built in Scotland and the decision must be made by the people of Scotland.

“It will be a defining point in Scotland’s history so it is vital that those from all political sides in this country are given the best opportunity to come and make their voices heard.”

Work nights

Our first "work night" of 2012 got underway last Wednesday with a really successful evening in the ward.  After all the coverage of the 2014 referendum in the media there was a really upbeat atmosphere.  My "running mate" SNP group leader Cllr Matt Brown was on hand to help with any council issues that came up and we even signed up a new member.


It was great to get out and meet folk and receive a warm reception I'm grateful to everyone who took the time to speak with us.  

Tonight it's over to Irvine east, Cllr Joan Sturgeon's ward for more of the same, hopefully the forecast snow and ice will hold off! (I'm sending positive vibes out there with a wintry but dry Irvine Beach picture)