Stop the presses! Labour has, at last, found something it thinks sixteen-year-olds should not be allowed to use. Not a ballot in national elections, obviously – but, er, sunbeds. For ministers are now proposing photographic ID checks before you tan. While Samantha Niblett may want a ‘summer of sex’, others within her party clearly want it to be one of (selective) scrutiny…
Steerpike has done some digging and it seems that, at the same time as introducing votes at 16 and removing the need for photographic ID at polling stations, Labour thinks that more onerous restrictions are needed when you visit your local sunbed. For, according to a little-noticed press release, the government is now consulting on ‘sunbed regulation’. Mooted changes include potentially ‘introducing mandatory age verification – for example, by using a photo-card ID – to strengthen compliance and better protect under 18s’ and banning ‘businesses from selling or hiring out sunbed devices to under 18s for use outside of business premises.’
Under these proposals then, 16-year-olds can vote without photo ID, but 18 year-olds cannot use or buy sunbeds without it. Some have begun to wonder why the vigilance runs in only one direction. Shadow Housing Minister James Cleverly is one of them. He told Steerpike:
It’s ridiculous that Labour are giving votes to 16-year-olds but won’t let them use sunbeds. This just confirms that Labour’s election reforms are nothing more than an attempt to gerrymander our democracy.
Poor old Keir may be gone – but two-tier rules remain…
Comments