A polling station last year.Sixteen and seventeen-year-olds are to be given the right to vote in elections across the UK for the first time – even though half of them do not want it.Ministers confirmed on Thursday that the government was making good on Labour’s manifesto commitment to lower the current voting age for general elections from 18.Keir Starmer said if someone is old enough to work and pay tax, they should have a say in how the country is tun.He told ITV News: “I think it’s really important that 16 and 17-year-olds have the vote because they’re old enough to go out to work, they’re old enough to pay taxes, and I think if you pay in you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go.“So I’m really pleased that we’re able to bring more young people into our democracy and give them a say over how their taxes are going to be paid and what they’re going to be used for.”The move will bring the rest of the UK into line with Scotland and Wales, where 16 and 17-year-olds are already allowed to vote.But a poll by Merlin Strategy for ITV News suggested that only half of 16 and 17-year-olds will actually take up the opportunity to vote.It found that 49% of those in that age group did not believe the current voting age shoul