To think you should have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the facts before being allowed to vote

[Bearbehind]

Ok, I appreciate this is purely hypothetical is it could never be enforced but, it does astound me when a proportion of the electorate, albeit hopefully small, are so clueless they come out with comments like I've seen this morning which included:-

-Looking forward to doing some online shopping for items from the USA as they'd be cheaper now the pound has dropped

-Being surprised that the markets have fallen following the vote to leave and not realising their vote would have that effect

-Thinking this decision might pave the way for Norway to hold a referendum to leave the EU too

It's bad enough we all have to filter through the outright lies, like the money saved on the EU which would go straight to the NHS, and the scarcity of facts but people making decisions when their basic understanding is so poor is downright scary.

X post lacontessa

I completely disagree. Everyone should be allowed to vote. I do however think there should be higher standards set for the campaigns in these circumstances. Nigel Farage has basically just admitted that he lied about NHS spending increasing. He should face penalties for that.

Anyone who believes a word Nigel farage says should be banned from voting for life. In fact, I don't think they should be allowed to dress themselves

so there is no link between intelligence and understanding? Really? you really just posted that!

Who is going to draw up this list or test to see if you are "well informed"? You? the BNP? they have one you could take off of the shelf if you wanted.

should you really have had the vote if you believe that people have to have a certain level of understanding/intelligence of the facts OP?

your view is far more dangerous and devisive to society than the person who voted out because of Eurovision. Only trouble is I don't think you are ever going to see this or understand why.

FFS you don't need to be a professor to find out basic facts ie is this a protest against cameron? Does my vote actually count? If leave win will we actually leave?

Totally agree, just think of all those "I've always voted labour because my family have" votes that would disappear, or is it only those who don't vote your preferred way that you wish to stifle.

I'm amazed at the totalitarian thought process that appears from here sometimes, it happened after the GE and its happening again today.

mummymeister we are clearly never going to agree.

Yes, both me and lacontessa pointed out that understanding the basics is not a mark of how intelligent or educated you are and I truly believe that.

If you think it's acceptable to have absolutely no comprehension of what you are voting on but to stick a cross somewhere because that is your right then that's your call. I disagree but also accept its the only option we have.

I don't think anyone should have been asked to vote on this. We are a representative democracy. Our MPs and other experts are paid to sort out decisions of this kind which have such a monumental and long-lasting effect. However, once a decision was made to hold a referendum....of course everyone has the right to vote. I voted in, I feel I did a lot of reading, listening and weighing up of the pros and cons. Just because others did not, well, I'm afraid that's not how it works in a democracy..

101 I agree. If you can't get all the over 18s eligible to vote to understand the core issues (which in this case there was no hope of because it is a truly complex issue - I have a PhD and no deep understanding of how this decision will affect us in the long term) then you don't hold a vote.

I think for general election/local election the party affiliations should be removed from the ballot papers. If you can't name your preferred candidate then you are doing something VERY wrong.

Are you serious? A test to determine enough comprehension to be allowed to vote? Where would you draw the line with that?
We are extremely lucky in the respect that we are free to vote, if legally entitled to, for whom we wish. Each one of us has no greater say than the other. The way a person votes is always personal to them for their own reasons, you may not agree with those reasons but the beauty is that you don't actually have to! You only have to have enough belief in your own vote. The way anyone votes is bugger all to do with any of us. The vote we cast are on our own conscience only. We do not have to validate them to anyone. In a democracy we abide by the majority vote, we may not like it but that's how it is. I'd rather be on the losing side in a democracy than live in a totalitarian state.
I cannot actually believe that anyone thinks a competence test is the way forward & I say this as someone who has been on the losing side of both Indyref and EUref. I'm astonished buy this attitude. Truly truly astonished.

I am against tests, because they would inevitably be used to exclude some portion of the population from voting, and NOT just the stupid idiots. Like literacy tests weren't actually used to exclude idiots from voting, but those who had no access to education.

But I understand your wish for tests all too well. Some people are just so fucking stupid one really despairs.

Perhaps we should follow Iceland's example ... okay, they expected everyone would be home tomorrow, but I actually think that having sports events at the same time as elections would gently discourage those who are not interested in politics (and therefore don't inform themselves) from voting.

I think we need to make better political education mandatory in schools, not as a qualification, but just because it isnt possible to participate well I'm a democracy if you havent a clue. That isn't Brexit-specific, I have been aware of this for a long time. I teach first year uni students and most don't even know what MPs do, how they are voted in, and how laws are made. That's pretty shocking - a 13 year old could grasp it!

Sorry that should have read "not as a qualification to vote"

glasgowlass even though this is hypothetical, I wasn't taking about an exam!

Given some of the reasons and reactions today it seems that something as basic as confirming a vote to leave will mean we actually leave the EU would suffice.

The number of people saying, 'oh it didn't think my vote would count so didn't think about the implications' is jaw dropping.

Perhaps a basic understanding of people should be tested as well. This was Remain's campaign to lose and they lost it by refusing to listen to legitimate concerns that people had. Preferring to label Brexiteers and the Undecided as xenophobic, stupid, ill educated, racist and insane.

Had the Remain camp kept their heads and simply put forward their reasons then I think we would have been looking at a different result today. Instead this has been a lesson in how to lose support and alienate people.

No. What a bloody farcical opinion.

We've had all this in Scotland already. Gullible numpties in one side, informed truth seekers on the other. If you want to stop muppets voting you have to stop them voting in the right way for the wrong reasons. Which you don't want to do because you need their votes.

Ironic for liberals to want to silence the poor and less educated.

My all-time favourite excuse for voting Leave was on my Facebook feed. Because if we leave the EU, next year she won't be forced to watch the football with her boyfriend...

EURO is every 4 years. And is geographical, not based on the EU...

I like VestalVirgin's idea. A test would be ridiculous though.

Maybe there should be a test for fuckwittery before people can start a thread on MN!

I don't think OP would pass hmm

Condescending bull shit. I can't be bothered to formulate an actual reply to your sheer stupidity and ignorance.

This... Just this, lol

A better solution would be to not have referendums to decide on complex issues where even the experts don't know what the result would be for one of the options. When you think about it people were asked to decide between the status quo and the unknown - madness!

There was a woman on ITV saying Boris had been entertaining

The issues are far too complex for a yes/no decision and the referendum should never have been called.

Bear it doesn't matter if you were hypothetically suggesting an exam or one question to determine someone's comprehension to vote. The mere suggestion that someone shouldn't be allowed to vote because they can't pass a "test" is utterly disgraceful. Someone you deem incompetent to vote has as much say as you or I & that is the way it should be. No one is any better than any other person be you a professor, a cleaner, a council worker, a teacher, on benefits, a shop worker or whatever. We all should always have equal say.

A better solution would be to not have referendums to decide on complex issues where even the experts don't know what the result would be for one of the options.

You are probably right allegretto. But if we do end up being asked, it would be nice to have some confidence that the majority of people voting have actually thought about what the ramifications of their vote will be.

Op you have given me the biggest laugh of the day.I am truly shocked how low some of the remain supporters have stooped today. There vile comments and the sheer nastiness is shocking.

Oh I'm sorry I thought we live in a democracy not a dictatorship? Do you know how many people died so we could vote. You have no right to challenge people's choices