UK to allow 16 years old vote for next general election - Oda countries wey dey allow am

Sixteen and 17-year-olds go dey able to vote for di next general election, under govment plan to lower di voting age.

Di pledge na part of some measures wey dem dey introduce through one new Elections Bill.

Oda changes include expanding forms of voter ID to include UK-issued bank cards, moving towards automatic voter registration and tightening rules on political donations to protect against foreign interference.

Di minimum voting age na already 16 for local council elections for Scotland and Wales, and elections to di Senedd and Scottish Parliament.

However for oda elections, including to di UK Parliament, local elections for England and all elections for Northern Ireland, na 18.

Lowering di voting age to 16 across di UK go be di biggest change to di electorate since dem reduce am from 21 to 18 for 1969.

Di pledge to lower di voting age to 16 bin dey included for Labour election manifesto but e no feature for last summer King Speech, wey set out di govment priorities for di months ahead.

Ali confirm say di govment dey plan to introduce di change in time for 16 and 17-year-olds to vote for di next general election, wey dey due to take place by 2029 but dem fit call am earlier dan dis.

She tell BBC say di "big change" go ensure say young pipo voices dey heard.

"At 16, young person fit work, dem dey pay taxes, dem fit join di Army. So reason no dey why from dat age, dem no suppose get a say in who dey govern our country," she tok.

However, Conservative shadow minister Paul Holmes say di govment position dey "hopelessly confused".

"Why dis govment tink say a 16-year-old fit vote but dem no dey allowed to buy a lottery ticket, alcoholic drink, marry, or go to war, or even contest inside di elections dem dey vote in?" e ask for di Commons.

Di Liberal Democrats welcom votes at 16 as "a no-brainer" but say "ministers must go much further to close di door to foreign oligarchs interfering in British politics".

Di National Union of Students describe lowering di voting age as "a major victory for young pipo".

E call on di govment to make am as easy as possible for 16 and 17-year-olds to vote by scrapping voter ID laws, implementing automatic voter registration and promoting political literacy in schools and colleges.

Four key changes UK govment announce - including bank cards as ID

Asides from di voting age, oda tins dey inside Thursday UK govment announcement.

Voting age: Around 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds go dey eligible to vote for di next general election.

Expansion of acceptable IDs: UK-issued bank cards go become legitimate forms of voter ID for Great Britain, providing say di bank card display di elector name.

Improving postal votes: Di govment dey propose a change to di deadline for Great Britain to apply for a postal vote, from 11 to 14 working days before a poll. Dis go align wit di existing deadline for Northern Ireland.

Changes to party donations: To tackle foreign interference, di govment say e plan to tighten rules on political donations including on checks on contributions over £500 from unincorporated associations and closing loopholes wey dey used by shell companies.

Oda countries wey dey allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote

Several oda countries around di world dey allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in all elections, while some odas dey allow dem to vote in specific circumstances.

According to Unicef, external, countries and territories wia young pipo between di age of 16 and/or 17 dey allowed to vote in all elections include:

Some countries and territories, like Estonia, Germany, Israel, Puerto Rico, Scotland, and Wales dey allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in at least some elections, such as local or state elections.

Young pipo between di age of 16 in Belgium, Austria, Germany and Malta, and those wey be 17 for Greece dey allowed to vote in European elections.

For US, 17-year-olds fit vote for di presidential or congressional primaries or party caucuses for some states if dem turn 18 before di general election.

How old you need to be to buy alcohol, join army or get tattoo for UK?

Get a tattoo

You must be over 18 to get tattoo for UK.

Buy alcohol

Across UK, e dey illegal to buy alcohol if you dey under 18.

But, if you be 16 or 17 and adult escort you, you fit drink - but not buy - beer, wine or cider with food.

Join army

You fit join di British Army - wey cover di whole of di UK - as soldier at 16 years old, but those under 18 go need parental consent to join.

Few tins to note though depending on di role - di British Army set am out - and young pipo dey able to join di Army Cadet Force from as young as 12, wia dem fit get involved in army-themed activities.

Start driving

You fit start to learn to drive a car wen you turn 17. E mean say you fit by theory begin learning, pass your test, and den drive legally while you be 17.

To do dis, you go need a provisional licence, and must dey supervised by a driving instructor or someone else wey meet di rules - dat na someone over 21 wey don get a full licence for three years.

But few conditions dey attached to dis

Stand for election

To stand as a Member of Parliament inside a UK general election, you need to be at least 18.

Di same minimum age also apply to local elections across di UK - despite di fact say 16 and 17-year-olds fit vote for devolved elections for Scotland and Wales.

Use a sunbed

Using sunbeds no dey recommended due to di risk of skin cancer, and e dey illegal to do so if you dey under 18 across di UK.

Get married

For England and Wales, you no fit get married until you be 18.

For Northern Ireland, di rule be say you fit marry at 16, but those wey be 16 and 17 need parental or guardian consent to do so.

For Scotland, you fit get married at a minimum age of 16, and e no require parental consent.

Be convicted of a crime and go adult prison

Di minimum age of criminal responsibility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland na 10 - meaning children between 10 and 17 fit dey arrested and taken to court if dem commit crime.i.

As for which prison dme dey send young pipo to, anyone over 18 fit dey sent to adult prison.

If dem be 18-21, dem fit instead, though, send dem to a young offender institution.