NIGEL Evans has said the government must ensure more over-18s vote before it cuts the age to take part in general elections to 16.
The Ribble Valley Tory MP spoke out after a government inquiry called for the voting age to be slashed.
The Power Inquiry said following the low turnouts in the 2001 and 2005 general elections and the falling membership of political parties, urgent steps were needed.
It proposes cutting the voting age from 18 to 16.
Mr Evans said: "I am neutral on the idea of whether the voting age should be cut to 16.
"Before we do that we want to make sure that more existing people vote. There's is no point in offering 16 and 17-year-olds the vote if older people don't take their opportunity to cast their ballot."
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