To think parents should be given a proxy vote for their children

[OldLondonDad]

Bit of a random topic for AIBU, but since we've had a few threads recently on politics and taxes, why not?...

A decade or so ago I thought it seemed that those who will impacted most by today's policies have the least (no!) say in them. Our politics are largely shaped by the vote of the oldest section of society and the youngest just have to live with it.

Solution? Give parents an extra vote per child. They will be highly likely to use it in the way that benefits their child, so the country's policies will be more likely to favour the young (and the future of the country) rather than the old.

There's a name for the concept - demeny voting. It gets considered here and there in various countries, but what does mumsnet think?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demeny_voting

(no I'm not a journalist / politician / think-tank analyst etc., just a regular dad)

Maybe the young people should use the vote they have.

Bizarre suggestion. 😀

I suppose you must follow your own logic.

YABVU

The parent already have their own vote. They should use that if they want to influence the future for their children. Their kids can vote when they are old enough.

They will be highly likely to use it in the way that benefits their child,

No they won't. They'll vote whichever they vote for.

16 and 17 year olds in England and Wales cannot get married now even with parental consent. The law changed mainly to prevent parents of children under 18 inflicting forced marriage on them. It was campaigned for by women like Payzee Mahmod whose sister Banaz was murdered in 2006 by their father, uncle and cousins for leaving her forced marriage to be with another man (who later killed himself after her murder).

There seem to be a number of people on here who do not know this as they keep referring to it as a reason for lowing the voting age to 16.