Modernising Elections

The Government has introduced the Representation of the People Bill, which includes its manifesto commitment to lower the voting age to 16. They have described this Bill as “the biggest expansion of democratic participation in a generation”. The Bill had its second reading on 2 March 2026. This inquiry will examine the health of electoral democracy in the UK today, in light of the decline in voter turnout in recent elections and diminishing voter trust in democratic institutions. We will scrutinise the potential effectiveness of the Government’s proposals for increasing democratic engagement, including its reforms to the voting age and the move towards automated systems of voter registration. We will also consider best practice for implementation of these changes. The Government have commissioned an independent review, led by Philip Rycroft, into foreign financial interference in UK politics. Our inquiry will also consider this issue and the outcome of that review. The Government have