YOUNG people in Winsford and Middlewich who want to be given the right to vote, do not have the backing of their MP.

Members of Parliament for Congleton and Eddisbury declared their support for the voting age to remain at 18, rather than reduce it to 16, following a debate in the House of Commons.

A private members bill to get younger people into democracy was proposed for the first time on Friday.

Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, told the Guardian: "I am always encouraged at the interest in politics shown by many young people but I don't believe the voting age should be lowered to 16.

“Interestingly when I've asked groups of young people in this area what they think about this, by far their majority view is that the voting age should remain as it is - 18.

“In the UK there is no single age at which adult responsibilities are acquired. Here it is more of a transition.

“So someone must be 17 before they can leave home without their parents' agreement, and 18 before they can buy alcohol or sit on jury service."

Antoinette Sandbach, MP for Eddisbury, added: “Engagement in politics is an extremely important subject for me but I cannot support this bill.

“The real argument at the moment is the age of responsibility. We don’t allow people to buy alcohol before they are 18. Teenagers must remain in education until they are 18 and while they 16-year-olds can join the army, they are not allowed on the front line.

“Involvement is politics is still open to 16-year-olds despite not having the vote. They are free to join a political party if they wish and engage in debates.

“We have to be very careful about where we draw the line.

“I represent eight and 10-year-olds in my constituency but that doesn’t mean we have to give them the vote.”

Following the House of Commons debate, deputy speaker Eleanor Laing said further discussion was needed on the Votes at 16 bill and adjourned the matter until December.