Page 23 | 16 & 17 year olds to be given the vote

Whereishenow · 2025-07-17T09:57:54+00:00

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

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:30

BIossomtoes · 17/07/2025 15:23

That sounds very much like the dying days of the last government. You can hardly be accused of “clinging to power” after a year.

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I'll rephrase 'running scared' due to the recent polls.
Either way it shows they completely ignored the pledges they were elected upon whilst now focusing on the things that will keep them in power after fucking everyone over.

party4you · 17/07/2025 15:30

TheCurious0range · 17/07/2025 15:27

I didn't add hardly check the previous edits, I corrected typos is also a point I made earlier. It's not a strong argument. Does that mean the unemployed and sahps don't get to vote because they don't pay taxes?

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yeah your typo very conveniently changed the meaning of your post didn’t it 🤔

why is it not a strong argument? Why do you think they can’t get a say? Most people on benefits / SAHP contribute to society and tax throughout their lives so no, they shouldn’t be cut off. If people have never given in ever in their lives, then perhaps they shouldn’t have a vote 🤷‍♀️ not really the discussion here though is it.

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:31

Calliopespa · 17/07/2025 15:28

No it absolutely isn't a bad thing.

But allowing ( still more) people who cant think beyond Fortnite to vote is a bad thing, yes.

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We don't stop anyone over the 18 from voting due to some arbitary criteria. I know plenty of adults who couldn't name their MP. Should they be prevented from voting?

There has to be a cut off, but 18 is too high. Plenty of countries have a voting age of 16, why not the UK?

Pinty · 17/07/2025 15:32

Colliemad79 · 17/07/2025 10:58

And we all know why that is, how predictable.

Brainwashed children.

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Nonsense
I think many 16 and 17 year olds are politically aware and astute than some older people.

Allisnotlost1 · 17/07/2025 15:32

SpidersAreShitheads · 17/07/2025 15:16

It is lovely to be idealistic - but you also have to be practical.

Our country (sadly) doesn’t have enough money or resources to do everything so we need a pragmatic approach that gets the basics right.

Let’s take the NHS which is in a hell of a state. Reform make all kinds of wild promises, such as eliminating waiting lists within two years. That sounds marvellous in principle but it’s light on detail, just lots of wishy-washy ideas.

Or, a more contentious issue, trans rights and how they intersect with women’s rights. We can all agree that it’s nice to be kind, but letting male bodies into single sex spaces has real-world consequences for women. A 16 yr old may only have a vague idea of misogyny, hasn’t experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, hopefully hasn’t been raped or sexually assaulted. Many youngsters wanting to be kind and inclusive will have no idea about how women’s safety will be impacted, or how single-sex spaces will now be inaccessible for some women.

And that’s all because being idealistic isn’t always possible. A narrow view - whatever the subject - isn’t ever going to be helpful, and the vast, vast majority of 16 yr olds simply don’t have enough knowledge or life experience to understand the full implications.

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A 16 yr old may only have a vague idea of misogyny, hasn’t experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, hopefully hasn’t been raped or sexually assaulted.

1 in 10 children experience sexual abuse or assault before they turn 16.

https://www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk/we-need-to-talk-about-prevention/

2/3 girls have experienced sexual harassment while in school uniform.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45777787

1 in 5 children are carers.

https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/young-carers-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-impacted/

To get serious about protecting children, we need to talk about prevention - Lucy Faithfull Foundation

There’s been a lot of focus on the subject of grooming gangs over the past couple of weeks. The fact that people are talking about it means that the protection of children can get the attention it desperately needs. Unfortunately, little of the discuss...

https://www.lucyfaithfull.org.uk/we-need-to-talk-about-prevention/

party4you · 17/07/2025 15:32

TheCurious0range · 17/07/2025 15:29

You are part of a minority. It's not a valid argument to base voting on taxes, do the unemployed not get a vote? Stay at home parents, those too unwell to work? Don't pay taxes don't get a say.
All 16 year olds shouldn't get the vote because a tiny majority pay a small amount of tax

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Then raise your children better if I’m part of a minority. What the hell do parents think happens between 16-18 which suddenly makes their kids responsible enough to vote?

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:33

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:30

I'll rephrase 'running scared' due to the recent polls.
Either way it shows they completely ignored the pledges they were elected upon whilst now focusing on the things that will keep them in power after fucking everyone over.

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Lowering the voting age was in Labour's manifesto.

So how, exactly, is that "completely ignoring the pledges there were elected upon" because, let's be honest, it's the exact opposite of that.

An0n1 · 17/07/2025 15:33

Libre2 · 17/07/2025 13:46

My DS - actually 16 and highly politcally engaged, thinks it's a terrible idea. He thinks it should be raised to 21. His response when I texted him on this was
"FFS Keir, you prick. Has it actually passed? Imagine a green-reform parliament - it's going to be a punch up every pmq". (I did say politically engaged rather than eloquent).

He sees, as we all should, that 16 year olds are a. highly polarised because of the algorithms on social media and b. extreme.

Edited

@libre2 I think this is really funny this is your example when my 67 year old mum spends all her time on Facebook, doesn't understand how algorithms affect the news she follows, how to spot AI or fake content and is becoming more and more extreme in her views especially as she's no longer in the workplace to be around others with different viewpoints. I'd say young people are actually more aware of algorithms etc than many older people, who funnily enough make up a huge percentage of active voters, are even though they're both being exposed to large amounts of content.

BIossomtoes · 17/07/2025 15:33

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:30

I'll rephrase 'running scared' due to the recent polls.
Either way it shows they completely ignored the pledges they were elected upon whilst now focusing on the things that will keep them in power after fucking everyone over.

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This is one of the pledges they were elected on. Incidentally they’re not doing too badly with the rest.

https://pledgeprogress.co.uk/

Pledge Progress - Keeping politics honest

Helping you to track the current UK government's progress toward meeting their election pledges.

https://pledgeprogress.co.uk

luckylavender · 17/07/2025 15:33

@Colliemad- I think it’s a great thing. We need people to be engaged and vote. Apathy is not good

Pinty · 17/07/2025 15:34

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:30

I'll rephrase 'running scared' due to the recent polls.
Either way it shows they completely ignored the pledges they were elected upon whilst now focusing on the things that will keep them in power after fucking everyone over.

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It was in the Labour Party Manifesto. Something they promised to do before they were elected. Absolutely nothing to do with Polls now 4 years before the next election anyway.

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:34

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:33

Lowering the voting age was in Labour's manifesto.

So how, exactly, is that "completely ignoring the pledges there were elected upon" because, let's be honest, it's the exact opposite of that.

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I've already covered that. Go back and read.

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:35

Pinty · 17/07/2025 15:34

It was in the Labour Party Manifesto. Something they promised to do before they were elected. Absolutely nothing to do with Polls now 4 years before the next election anyway.

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Read previous comments. I won't repeat myself.

BIossomtoes · 17/07/2025 15:35

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:34

I've already covered that. Go back and read.

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You haven’t. I supplied you with a useful link. Try reading it.

BlueyNeedsToFuckOff · 17/07/2025 15:36

Calliopespa · 17/07/2025 15:17

... and given there are probably a lot of mothers of teens on here, does the fact they are against them voting until 18 not tell you something about how confident they are about their 16 year olds ensuring "their best possible future?"

Edited

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Yes, but a lot of parents of teens on here sre hyper-controlling and seem to think their teenagers and young adults are completely incompetent.

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:36

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:34

I've already covered that. Go back and read.

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No, go back and make some sense.

You absolutely cannot accuse a party that is literally implementing something that was in their sodding manifesto to be, er, ignoring their manifesto.

party4you · 17/07/2025 15:38

LadySuzanne · 17/07/2025 15:29

But if the amount of annual income was less than the annual tax threshold at that time, would you not have been able to claim it back as a school pupil or student?

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But it wasn’t …

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:39

An0n1 · 17/07/2025 15:33

@libre2 I think this is really funny this is your example when my 67 year old mum spends all her time on Facebook, doesn't understand how algorithms affect the news she follows, how to spot AI or fake content and is becoming more and more extreme in her views especially as she's no longer in the workplace to be around others with different viewpoints. I'd say young people are actually more aware of algorithms etc than many older people, who funnily enough make up a huge percentage of active voters, are even though they're both being exposed to large amounts of content.

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Exactly this.

My parents are literally the worst people for being influenced by social media. They don't understand how the things they see are laser targetted towards any hint of bias that the algorithms pick up on.

Anyone under the age of 50 is has grown up with technology and understands how it all works far better than anyone from the generations before that. It's just a fact.

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:41

BIossomtoes · 17/07/2025 15:33

This is one of the pledges they were elected on. Incidentally they’re not doing too badly with the rest.

https://pledgeprogress.co.uk/

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Pretty sure the reason why most people voted Labour wasn't to see a reduction in the voting age! Odd how he wishes to deliver on the pledge that will help him stay in No.10.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p6axmOd5Zc

pointythings · 17/07/2025 15:41

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:34

I've already covered that. Go back and read.

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You haven't. You have not explained how literally fulfilling a manifesto commitment is going against the pledges Labour were elected on.

pointythings · 17/07/2025 15:43

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:41

Pretty sure the reason why most people voted Labour wasn't to see a reduction in the voting age! Odd how he wishes to deliver on the pledge that will help him stay in No.10.

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A manifesto commitment is still a manifesto commitment. They never promised to only fulfil the ones you liked.

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:44

TheSwarm · 17/07/2025 15:36

No, go back and make some sense.

You absolutely cannot accuse a party that is literally implementing something that was in their sodding manifesto to be, er, ignoring their manifesto.

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Well I absolutely can when he hasn't delivered on the most important things in his manifesto! In fact he has done the complete opposite.

Absentmindedsmile · 17/07/2025 15:44

Terrible idea, but inevitable with the current sixth-form debating society in power.

Yes, I’m afraid so. And not a particularly impressive 6th form debating soc either.

Pinty · 17/07/2025 15:45

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:35

Read previous comments. I won't repeat myself.

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You haven't though
You said they are ignoring pledges they were elected on and doing things they were not elected on . This was one of the pledges they were elected on . So your comments make no sense.

BIossomtoes · 17/07/2025 15:46

GreenGully · 17/07/2025 15:44

Well I absolutely can when he hasn't delivered on the most important things in his manifesto! In fact he has done the complete opposite.

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So what hasn’t the government done - in 53 weeks - that you want it to?