MSPs from across the political spectrum have united to call on the House of Lords not to obstruct plans to extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds in future Scottish elections.
The House of Lords Constitution Committee has criticised the process used to transfer the power to lower the voting age to Holyrood, warning that it is being pushed through Westminster without sufficient scrutiny.
The new power for the Scottish Parliament is being devolved as part of the Smith Commission agreement on further devolution in the wake of last year’s independence referendum.
MSPs and MPs have already approved the legislative order that would allow the transfer to take place and it was expected to be backed in the House of Lords on Thursday.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said it would be “wholly absurd” for the unelected chamber not to support the order.
He was responding to a question from Bruce Crawford MSP, convener of Holyrood’s Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, who said the House of Lords committee should have engaged with young people about the issue before coming to their conclusions.
Mr Crawford said: “Would the Deputy First Minister agree with me that it would be utterly astonishing and deeply regrettable if on Thursday the House of Lords, the unelected House of Lords, failed to agree to pass the draft order, particularly given that the House of Commons agreed without a vote on February 2 and that all parties represented in this parliament support the proposal to extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-old votes in this parliament?”
Mr Swinney responded: “I think there’s something wholly absurd about an unelected House of Parliament trying to exercise some constraint upon the willingness of two democratically-elected institutions, the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament, who wish to extend the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds within our society.”
SNP MSP Nigel Don said: “It’s actually very important that the House of Lords does not stick its oar in at this point because any delay in bringing forward this order will actually seriously impact on our ability to enfranchise 16 and 17-year-olds for the next Holyrood election.”
Mr Swinney said: “Time is, literally, of the essence on this issue. The order has to be approved by the privy council before the Westminster Parliament rises for the United Kingdom election.
“There is next to no time for the House of Lords to do anything other than to respect the democratic will of this Parliament and of the House of Commons.”
Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said he had initially voted against lowering the franchise for 16 and 17-year-olds but changed his mind after the experience of the referendum.
He said: “In expressing that unity, that should send a clear message to anyone who is concerned about this process to recognise that there’s now unanimity on the subject of granting the franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds in future Scottish elections and that while it’s right to ask questions, its wrong to stand in the way of that unanimous process.”
Mr Swinney said: “Parliament is of one on this question across all political perspectives.”
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “Labour is absolutely committed to extending the franchise, as are very many others in this chamber.”
She called on Mr Swinney to back her party’s proposals to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a senate of nations and regions.
Mr Swinney said he was “not a fan” of the House of Lords and remained committed to a “unicameral Scottish Parliament managing the democratic affairs of an independent country”.