17-07-2025
Rayner's youth blunder
Oh dear. After the government announced that 16- and 17-year-olds will be allowed to vote in time for the next general election – in a move Reform's Nigel Farage has slammed as 'an attempt to rig the political system' – the Deputy Prime Minister penned an op-ed for the Times to praise the policy. But eagle-eyed observers were quick to spot a rather glaring error.
The Ashton-under-Lyne MP reflected on the expectations placed on her shoulders when she was just a teen, writing:
Nobody expected much of me when I become a young mum at 16. I was suddenly faced with serious responsibilities for putting food on the table, paying my bills and giving my son Ryan the best possible start in life. With support, I rose to the challenge. I got a job, I paid taxes, I supported my son…
So far, so reasonable. Rayner continued:
By law, [16- to 17-year-olds] can get married and serve our country in the armed forces — but, unlike their peers in Scotland and Wales, 16-year-olds in England and Northern Ireland can't vote. Why not?
Er, wait a second. 16- and 17-year-olds in England can't marry – something that the Deputy PM should be aware of given Rayner was a sitting MP at the time the marriage age was raised from 16 to 17 in 2023, under the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act. The article was swiftly updated, as was – Mr S suspects – an embarrassed Rayner…
