USDAW backed reducing the voting age to 16 at its annual conference today.

General secretary Paddy Lillis supported the motion, noting that 16-year-olds can vote in both the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, and in “neither place has the sky fallen in or democracy been destroyed.”

He said that it was right that the union fought for younger members outside of the workplace.

THE Tories’ voter ID laws must be repealed as they restrict disabled, young, working class, migrant and ethnic minority people from taking part in democracy, Usdaw delegates moved today.

General secretary Paddy Lillis said the law was motivated by the government’s “contempt for democracy” and desperation to keeping power, with no evidence of voter fraud the legislation is meant to tackle.

BUSINESSES must be forced to employ homeless people, Usdaw delegates moved at their annual conference today.

They resolved to lobby the government to introduce the law making it mandatory for companies to employ a percentage of homeless people by liaising with local charities.

General secretary Paddy Lillis supported the motion subject to exclusions for some categories of homelessness.