‘Scotland’s destiny is back in their hands’

Cast your mind back to September. For the first time Scotland’s 16 and 17-year olds were allowed to participate in the referendum and all of a sudden a new generation of voters had brought the independence vote to life.

Huge turnouts, frenzied debate, colourful campaigning and more than 100,000 new names added to the voting register. Politics suddenly mattered.

But after Scotland voted to remain in the UK many feared that it would be a return to business as usual. Worse, young people that had engaged so passionately with the independence debate would simply fall away from politics as political power remained Westminster.

This is why today’s Smith Commission recommendations are surprising. The group, set up after pledges by the UK’s three main party leaders in the last few days of the referendum campaign, were largely seen as paying lip service to plans to devolve powers. Few expected them to table such radical proposals. Nor produce it so quickly – barely 10 weeks since the referendum itself.

The devolution of income tax powers has made the headlines. But for young people extending voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds lends the possibility to the voting age being lowered in time for the 2016 Scottish elections.

Louise Cameron, chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said it will instil a momentum in young people who were drawn to politics during the run-up to the referendum. “The referendum forced politicians, and other organisations to engage with young people more meaningfully, and at a scale never seen. A lowered voting age has refuted many of the arguments made against it.”

‘No hiding place for change’

Gordon Maloney, president of the National Union of Students Scotland, told Channel 4 News that implementation of the proposals would be a huge boost to campaigners and give Scottish ministers no hiding place to consider new proposals.

“Too often the default response among Scottish ministers to campaigns has been ‘I thoroughly agree with you and I would do this, but I don’t have the powers to’. That’s no longer going to fly. Westminster would no longer be the easy scapegoat.”

Under the proposals, Holyrood would be in control of benefits that support older people, carers, disabled people and those who are ill, as well as powers to create new benefits in devolved areas and make discretionary payments in any area of welfare.

Carla Fyfe, of the youth charity Xchange Scotland, told Channel 4 News these elements are extremely heartening – though many young people would have liked more time to be involved in the consultation themselves.

“For many teenagers from deprived backgrounds, it was monumental to be involved in politics for the first time. There was a groundswell of engagement – fuelling political youth groups, activities and evening classes and that interest has remained. The welfare and poverty proposals will instil a sense that young people are better and more closely placed to influence change.”

Despite the fanfare, these are, for now, still only recommendations. “Young people in Scotland are enthused by the speed of change. Now the challenge is to distil them into something clear, tangible and that can become law. It doesn’t need endless further consultation,” adds Mr Maloney.

A week, the saying goes, is a long time in politics. For young Scots who may have thought their destiny fully decided on the morning of September 19, 10 weeks have proved even longer.