Democracy Minister Ruchana Ali told the BBC that this "earth-shattering" change would ensure that young people's voices are heard.

She confirmed that the promise would be part of a package of measures introduced through a new election law.

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

The minimum voting age is already 16 for local elections in Scotland and Wales, as well as for elections to the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament.

However, for other elections, including the UK Parliament, local elections in England, and all elections in Northern Ireland, the age remains 18.

Lowering the voting age to 16 across the United Kingdom will be the biggest change to the electoral system since 1969, when the age was reduced from 21 to 18. | BGNES