Labour and Lib Dem peers join forces to get votes at 16 into bill

The Guardian reports:

The government has suffered yet another defeat in the House of Lords over an amendment that would give 16- and 17-year-olds the vote in council elections.

Labour and Liberal Democrat peers teamed up for the second time this week to change the cities and local government devolution bill.

They are also planning to stage similar changes to the EU referendum bill to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in that poll when it comes to the Lords later this year.

The defeat sets the stage for a dramatic stand-off between the two houses on the issue, as the government will now probably try to overturn the amendment when the legislation goes to the Commons…

Liberal Democrat spokesman Lord Tyler, who introduced the amendment, said votes at 16 was “both rational and right”.