16 & 17 year olds to be given the vote

[Whereishenow]

Just seen this announcement on BBC now. Amazing news!!! Now we just need to try and get youngsters out USING those votes.

I do not agree with lowering the voter age to 16. It makes more sense to raise everything to 18, seeing as they are regarded as children and have to be in some form of education up to 18.

If this is the case and this legislation is pushed through. Then the criminal responsibility age should also be lowered to 16 if you can vote, you can take responsibility for your actions.

Let's be frank it has only been done as Labour think they will get more votes. I think this is likely to backfire and increase votes to the Greens or Reform.

That's the idea.

Whataboutism

Yes, I'm glad you agree. It's whataboutism to use lack of critical thinking skills as a reason that the under 18s can't vote but over 18s can. 😆

If 16 year olds are old enough to vote then they should also for example be paid the adult minimum wage, and if they commit a crime they should be tried as adults and named as adults are.

It was a manifesto pledge

They are enacting the manifesto they were voted in on

This is how democracy works in the UK.

Dreadful idea. 16 and 17 year olds are too easily manipulated

How many were manipulated by the 350m for the NHS?

They are enacting the manifesto they were voted in on

Normally everyone on here is ripping into labour for not sticking to their manifesto!

Brexit would not have happened if they did!

Quite a few counties have already done this (several LATAM countries including Brazil and Argentina; all the Channel Island nations; Austria; Malta; Greece to name just a few) and more are looking at it. It's viewed as a measure to improve engagement in and knowledge of the democratic process - rather than it being something in the abstract not experienced until someone is often well into their twenties.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX you know you can't bring any logic here!

@KimberleyClark exactly

And glue.

How old do you think average age of our current MPs in parliament is?
commonslibrary.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-trends-the-age-of-mps/

Western countries have ageing populations so it makes sense they are looking this. The UK median age is almost 41 I think.

Those still in school don’t have the first idea of the responsibilities of running a country and trying to balance the books.

The adults in power don't either 😆

My DM and FiL discussed the referendum with their DC and wanted to know what we thought was in the DGC best interest. This was very common talking to our friends and theirs.

They were much more conscious than younger generations of how the current EEC had mutated from the original promise and few had envisaged it extending so far beyond the promised common market both for better and worse.

I've always found the voting age in the UK ridiculous.

If they're old enough to marry, have kids, work and pay taxes, they are old enough to vote.

They are the ones who are going to pay in the long run for the brunt of the issues in the country(s) but for too long political decisions have been made predominantly by those closer to retirement age.

Very few 16 year olds will have the same financial responsibilities as those over 18. I don’t think it’s right for them to be able to vote. When I vote I think carefully about the ability of the government to run the economy and what their policies will mean for my ability to pay the bills and support my family. Very few 16 year olds will need to consider this. They will be driven by ideology. I was so naive at that age.

Ok but only if we remove the vote from age 67+ when people are considered too old to be expected to work

I suppose the irony of arguing on a lack of critical thinking skills while using a logical fallacy to support that argument was lost on you.

It amused me though.

Well, based on your argument, take the vote away from the over 75's, they aren't allowed on a jury.......

For accuracy, you can drive on the roads as a 16yo, tractors & mopeds...

You're easy to please!

It's actually quite sad how little some posters seem to think so little of young people & how bitter they are towards them.

TBF most other countries are 18 for voting, a few are 16 or 17 and some are 21

Countries which vote from 16 (some in all elections, some just in EU elections)

Germany
Belgium
Austria
Malta
scotland
wales
Greece