Campaigns

Votes at 16

The Liberal Democrats were the first political Party to call for young people aged 16 to have the vote. Joan Walmsley, along with lembit Opik MP, launched the campaign with the Liberal Democrat Youth and Students. Joan has spoken in Parliament many times about this subject and put pressure on the Government. The Government is now seriously considering giving young people the vote at 16.

Joan speaks at the launch of "Votes @ 16"

Joan with the steering group of the campaign

Joan and Lembit Opik with LDYS members at the launch

Campaign to give children equal rights as adults under the laws about physical assault.

Baroness Joan Walmsley simply wants children to have equal protection, no more no less. "Smacking" is already banned - for all people except children.

The law still allows parents and others to justify common assault of children as "reasonable punishment". This defence is unjust and unsafe, and must be abolished now. The law forbids husbands and wives to hit each other but, as long as they don't leave a mark, they can get away with hitting their children. There are much more positive and effective ways of teaching children how to behave well than hitting them. All this teaches them is that violence wins.

This simple reform will send a clear message that hitting children, however we dress it up, is as unacceptable and unlawful as hitting anyone else.

Giving children less protection under the law on assault is disrespectful. Children are people with human rights to physical integrity and human dignity just like the rest of us.

Joan joins the campaign