College leader backs lowering of voting age

A champion for political literacy and youth engagement working at Trafford & Stockport College Group, has given her backing to the UK Government’s decision to lower the voting age to 16.

Head of Personal and Professional Development at the Trafford & Stockport College Group, Michelle McLaughlin MBE called the change a “seismic shift for democracy” and a powerful step toward a more inclusive political system.

In her role at the college group, McLaughlin has spent the last two years campaigning for deeper civic participation among young people. She is the architect of a pioneering voter registration initiative that enables students to register to vote at the point of college enrolment. She said:

“This announcement is more than a policy change, it’s a statement of belief in the next generation.

“For too long, 16- and 17-year-olds have been trusted with responsibilities but denied a say in their future. Giving them the vote affirms that their voices matter. It’s the proudest moment of my career to have played a part, however small, in preparing the ground for this.”

Trafford and Stockport College Group’s auto-registration pilot launched in September 2025 and registered over 1,000 students. By integrating a simple opt-in tick-box into enrolment forms, the college made it easier than ever for students to take their first democratic step.

McLaughlin’s initiative, initially rolled out across Stockport campuses, is now expanding across Trafford and Manchester.

Following Michelle’s presentation to Greater Manchester election officials in April 2025, the model has been approved for rollout across nine local colleges.

It has also sparked a growing movement across the country, with colleges further afield also adopting the Trafford and Stockport College Group model. McLaughin said:

“This campaign isn’t just about a form. It’s about trust. It’s about helping young people believe that their voice can shape society—and now, the government has shown it believes that too.”

The campaign has been widely praised and endorsed by civic and educational leaders, including:

• Navendu Mishra MP (Stockport)
• Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities, Greater Manchester
• Richard Caulfield, Senior Policy Manager, GM Colleges
• Rebecca Durber, Area Director North West, Association of Colleges

Michelle McLaughlin concluded:

“Young people are politically aware and socially engaged—they just need a system that lets them in.

“This announcement opens the doors. Now it’s our job, as educators, to make sure they walk through them with confidence, knowledge and purpose.”