I have emailed the following regarding their previous support of lowering the voting age to 16.
Those names not in bold have yet to respond. For those who have got back to me, I have marked a 'YES' or 'NO' next to their name to clarify their stance. I will update this post with any responses I receive.
Scottish Lib Dems supporting Votes at 16:
Jo Swinson MP, Deputy Leader Scottish Liberal Democrats - YES
Mike Crockart MP Jim Hume MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrats MSP for South Scotland
Alison McInnes MSP, Liberal Democrat MSP for North East Scotland
Scottish Labour support for Votes at 16:
Anas Sarwar, Deputy Leader of Scottish Labour
Margaret Curran, Shadow Scottish Secretary
Douglas Alexander, Shadow Foreign Secretary
Willie Bain, Shadow Scotland minister - YES
Jim Murphy, Shadow Defence Secretary
Gordon Banks MP, Labour MP for Ochil and South Perthshire
Anne Begg MP, Labour MP for Aberdeen South
Russell Brown MP, Labour MP for Dumfries and Galloway
Katy Clark MP, Labour MP for North Ayrshire and Arran - YES
Tom Clarke MP, Labour MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Ian Davidson MP, Labour/Co-operative MP for Glasgow South West
Thomas Docherty MP, Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife
Brian Donohoe MP, Labour MP for Central Ayrshire - YES
Sheila Gilmore MP, Labour MP for Edinburgh East
Eric Joyce MP, Labour MP for Falkirk
Mark Lazarowicz MP, Labour/Co-operative MP for Edinburgh North and Leith
Michael McCann MP, Labour MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow - NO
Gregg McClymont MP, Labour MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Ian Murray MP, Labour MP for Edinburgh South - YES
Pamela Nash MP, Labour MP for Airdrie and Shotts
John Robertson MP, Labour MP for Glasgow North West MSPs
Claudia Beamish MSP, Scottish Labour MSP for South Scotland
Kezia Dugdale MSP, Scottish Labour and Co-op MSP for Lothian region- YES
Neil Findlay MSP, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian - YES
John Park MSP, Scottish Labour MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife - YES
Email as follows:
Good afternoon,
I'm getting in touch with you regarding the recent debate in the news regarding lowering the voting age to 16, in light of the forthcoming independence referendum.
I note that you have previously given your support to this idea when it was debated at length with regards the AV referendum.
This is an issue that is very close to my heart as for the past five years I have worked throughout my constituency with hundreds of young people, in projects that encourage youth participation and active citizenship. I have done a lot of work towards empowering young people to become involved in decision-making, management and shaping their future. This is something that is very important to me, and lowering the voting age to 16 is something I feel very strongly about.
I have also always believed that Scotland should be an independent country and I understand the argument that says lowering the voting age may increase the likeliness of the referendum's success. I trust, however, that regardless of your stance on the independence debate, you will take a consistent view on this issue and will continue to support lowering the voting age, vitally not just for this referendum, but for future elections and referenda. Politicians who are committed to fighting for this important change should in my opinion put aside political differences and stand by their principles.
I look forward to hearing from you on this.
Regards,
Graeme J
Responses.
NEIL FINDLAY MSP
Graeme of course I support votes at 16 always have done but only if it is for all elections.
-------------------------
WILLIE BAIN MP
Graeme,
I refer you to the press notice I issued on this topic yesterday which you can access via Politics Home:
http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/44662/william_bain_independence_referendum_should_not_include_second_question_on_devolution.html
He also argued voting for 16 and 17 year olds should be expanded to all elections, not just the referendum ballot:
“We support extending the right to vote to all 16 and 17 year olds for all elections, not just the ones that the SNP choose. That’s why we think it’s important that we work in Westminster to extend the franchise and I would hope Alex Salmond and ourselves can find common course on that issue. But what we can’t do is just pick and choose which election you have and that’s why it’s not right to extend it just for this. You could have a situation where16 and 17 year olds taking part in the referendum of independence but only six months later in the UK general election they would not be allowed to vote. Now I don’t want to treat young people that way. I think we need to treat them with respect, extend the franchise across the board and do it properly.”
Best,
William
-------------------------
MICHAEL MCCANN
I don't agree with lowering the voting age.
Regards
Michael McCann MP
(I have emailed Michael to clarify if he has changed his stance or whether he was never in support of lowering and will update when I hear back)
Update.
Disagreeing has always been my stance.
Most importantly, Salmond’s desire to offer 16 and 17 year olds a vote is another attempt to rig the ballot because he thinks that demographic will vote for Independence.
If he really believed in it why didn’t he introduce votes for 16 and 17 year olds for the this year’s council elections?
He has a majority at Holyrood.
Regards
Michael McCann MP
-------------------------
BRIAN DONOHOE
Mr. Donohoe does believe that 16 year olds should have the right to vote, however he does not have a strong view on having the voting age reduced as there are few people between the age of 18-25 who actually do vote, as most young people do not appear to have an urge to vote.
Regards
Ruth Brown
Constituency Office Manager
Brian H. Donohoe MP
-------------------------
Dear Graeme,
Many thanks for your email.
I agree with what you say in your email. I think we should have the opportunity to have 16 and 17 year olds able to vote but the issue with the separation referendum is that you cannot change a franchise as a one off. This has to be done for every election.
It would be strange for 16 year olds to vote in an Independence referendum and then not be allowed to vote in the Scottish Parliamentary election 16 months later or, indeed, a Westminster election the following May in 2015.
The Scottish Government have chosen not to look at altering the franchises for all other elections. I think it undermines the entire issue for young people.
If you could send me your postal address I will send you some further information I have on hard copy.
I hope that helps.
Ian Murray
-------------------------
Dear Graeme
Thanks for your email. I do support lowering the voting age and my view is certainly consistent – it should be lowered for all elections, not a single one on its own (your information on the AV referendum debates is therefore not accurate). I’m delighted to hear that you are working hard to help empower young people in your area, and I always do the same here in East Dunbartonshire.
I hope you are already involved with the Votes at 16 coalition, if not then I’m sure they’d be happy to hear from you.
Best wishes
Jo
-------------------------
Dear Graeme
I write to thank you for your email sent on 26th January 2011 regarding the Scottish referendum and the voting age.
I understand you are from Irvine and that my office has forwarded you Brian Donohoe’s office contact details. My personal view is that the voting age should be lowered to 16 and that this should apply for all elections including referendums. Given the importance of the referendum on Scottish independence I believe it should be conducted in line with the views of the Scottish public and in accordance with the rules for other elections and referendum. There are two consultations currently taking place on this issue and I attach a link to both. I would recommend that you submit your views to these.
With Best Wishes,
Katy Clark
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/01/1006
http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/16424.html
Thursday 26 January 2012
Tuesday 24 January 2012
Complaint to director of BBC News Helen Boaden re Jeremy Paxman
I figured emailing the director of BBC News with my disgust at Paxman's interview of Alex Salmond was a more productive way of venting than shouting at the telly and slamming the TV remote about in a rage.
See below.
Good evening,
I wanted to express my disgust at tonight's episode (24/01/2012) of Newsnight, where Jeremy Paxman was seen to grill Alex Salmond in the most blatantly pro-union, anti-Scotland piece of coverage I have seen since the independence referendum debate started a week or so ago.
Any lucky soul who tuned in having never heard of Jeremy Paxman would have been forgiven for thinking they'd stumbled across some brilliant new Chris Morris satire, where instead of having Noel Edmonds bemoaning the dangers of "made-up drug" Cake (or as it's known on the street, 'Joss Ackland's spunky backpack'), Morris' genius new incaranation drew ludicrous comparisons between Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
Unfortunately, I'm well aware of Paxman and the fact that the slabbering, ranting moron was all too serious as he tried to rip Salmond to bits, comparing the SNP leader to the racist and homophobic leader Mugabe but stopping just short, as he foamed at the mouth, of leaping from his chair and simply raining down punches on Salmond's head, as was surely his want.
I understand that the BBC practically encourage this sort of boorish, stupid behaviour from Paxman, but surely any interviewer's job is to delicately straddle the line between both sides of the debate - to give Salmond a platform on which to air his beliefs, while tackling him and taking the SNP leader to task in the holes on his referendum proposal - rather than to be so blatantly esconced in one camp? He would have been as well conducting the interview in nothing but Union Jack -patterned pants and a souvenier t-shirt from last year's royal wedding.
I would trust the BBC could handle their presenter a little better, balancing the viewing figures that his controversial style brings with the quality and fairness of broadcasting that should be expected of Britain's public service broadcaster, but that may be a bit much to ask from the channel who commissioned My Family, So You Think You Can Dance, Don't Scare The Hare, That's Britain, Doctors, The One Show, Film with Claudia Winkleman, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Tittybangbang, Danny Dyer: I Believe In UFOs, Coming of Age, Britain's Most Embarrassing Pets, Help Me Anthea I'm Infested, Britain's Worst Teeth and My Life As An Animal.
As Paxman continued on his wild-eyed rampage against all things Scotland, shouting Salmond down before he could even answer his questions (really, what was the point of even asking them, rather than simply ranting in Eck's face?) - you really couldn't help but be reminded of Morris and his classic news satire The Day Today. One of the best sketches involved grilling a woman who had organised a Jam Festival where he shouts the immortal line, "You could make more money sitting outside a tube station with your hat on the ground, even if you were twice as ugly as you are which is very ugly indeed!" Would Newsnight viewers really have found it out of keeping with the tone of the rest of the interview if Paxman had shouted this at Salmond as he quizzed him on the finances of an independent Scotland? I doubt it.
Anyway, as I said, I wanted to express my disgust at the episode, but then I thought about how angry it had made me and doubtless many other Scots who had tuned in. Some viewers north of the border who unlike myself, may not yet be so firmly in the 'Yes' camp, but who could be convinced if the BBC continue to waste our TV licence on condescending, borderline racist clowns like Paxman - "certainly the picture of the patronising Englishman" as Mark Hennessy of the Irish Times described his pathetic performance - whilst pitting them against intelligent and reassuringly positive figures from the Scottish nationalist camp. It can do the cause no harm.
So really I just wanted to thank you for what has to be one of the most ludicrous, biased segments of political broadcasting I have ever witnessed from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Programmes like tonight's will help deliver independence faster than any balanced, adult discussion of the issues at hand ever will.
Regards,
Graeme J
I await a response.
See below.
Good evening,
I wanted to express my disgust at tonight's episode (24/01/2012) of Newsnight, where Jeremy Paxman was seen to grill Alex Salmond in the most blatantly pro-union, anti-Scotland piece of coverage I have seen since the independence referendum debate started a week or so ago.
Any lucky soul who tuned in having never heard of Jeremy Paxman would have been forgiven for thinking they'd stumbled across some brilliant new Chris Morris satire, where instead of having Noel Edmonds bemoaning the dangers of "made-up drug" Cake (or as it's known on the street, 'Joss Ackland's spunky backpack'), Morris' genius new incaranation drew ludicrous comparisons between Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
Unfortunately, I'm well aware of Paxman and the fact that the slabbering, ranting moron was all too serious as he tried to rip Salmond to bits, comparing the SNP leader to the racist and homophobic leader Mugabe but stopping just short, as he foamed at the mouth, of leaping from his chair and simply raining down punches on Salmond's head, as was surely his want.
I understand that the BBC practically encourage this sort of boorish, stupid behaviour from Paxman, but surely any interviewer's job is to delicately straddle the line between both sides of the debate - to give Salmond a platform on which to air his beliefs, while tackling him and taking the SNP leader to task in the holes on his referendum proposal - rather than to be so blatantly esconced in one camp? He would have been as well conducting the interview in nothing but Union Jack -patterned pants and a souvenier t-shirt from last year's royal wedding.
I would trust the BBC could handle their presenter a little better, balancing the viewing figures that his controversial style brings with the quality and fairness of broadcasting that should be expected of Britain's public service broadcaster, but that may be a bit much to ask from the channel who commissioned My Family, So You Think You Can Dance, Don't Scare The Hare, That's Britain, Doctors, The One Show, Film with Claudia Winkleman, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Tittybangbang, Danny Dyer: I Believe In UFOs, Coming of Age, Britain's Most Embarrassing Pets, Help Me Anthea I'm Infested, Britain's Worst Teeth and My Life As An Animal.
As Paxman continued on his wild-eyed rampage against all things Scotland, shouting Salmond down before he could even answer his questions (really, what was the point of even asking them, rather than simply ranting in Eck's face?) - you really couldn't help but be reminded of Morris and his classic news satire The Day Today. One of the best sketches involved grilling a woman who had organised a Jam Festival where he shouts the immortal line, "You could make more money sitting outside a tube station with your hat on the ground, even if you were twice as ugly as you are which is very ugly indeed!" Would Newsnight viewers really have found it out of keeping with the tone of the rest of the interview if Paxman had shouted this at Salmond as he quizzed him on the finances of an independent Scotland? I doubt it.
Anyway, as I said, I wanted to express my disgust at the episode, but then I thought about how angry it had made me and doubtless many other Scots who had tuned in. Some viewers north of the border who unlike myself, may not yet be so firmly in the 'Yes' camp, but who could be convinced if the BBC continue to waste our TV licence on condescending, borderline racist clowns like Paxman - "certainly the picture of the patronising Englishman" as Mark Hennessy of the Irish Times described his pathetic performance - whilst pitting them against intelligent and reassuringly positive figures from the Scottish nationalist camp. It can do the cause no harm.
So really I just wanted to thank you for what has to be one of the most ludicrous, biased segments of political broadcasting I have ever witnessed from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Programmes like tonight's will help deliver independence faster than any balanced, adult discussion of the issues at hand ever will.
Regards,
Graeme J
I await a response.
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