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.

How the 16/17 year olds vote is, at the end of the day, between them and the polling booth.

Getting people involved in the political process at that age can only be a good thing. If their interest can be harnessed early it might translate into higher turn outs in the coming years, rather than the voter apathy and low turn outs we have at the moment.

That is why I support this.

End of the Scottish Conservatives for sure! And possibly UK wide!

Karma.

No wonder Tories are bellyaching.

16 year olds don't pay tax. They don't earn enough. 😆People may have 'worked full time and paid tax' at 16, back in the dark ages, but 16 year olds don't do this now.

They are still in education!

Also...

They can't drive a car.

When they ARE legally allowed to drive (at 17) they can't hire a car, or any vehicle.

They can't drink alcohol.

They can't buy alcohol.

They can't watch films rated for ADULTS.

They can't book a hotel room.

They can't get married.

The can't buy lotto tickets, aerosol cans, fireworks, or scratchcards. Or anything with sharp edges!

They can't work night shifts.

They can't work school time! 😆

They can't use sunbeds.

They can't have a tattoo.

They can't buy cigarettes.

They can't get a mobile phone contract.

They can't get a mortgage.

They can't legally sign a tenancy agreement and rent a property independently.

They can't book a holiday - in the UK or abroad.

They can't book any kind of venue to host any kind of event.

And all of this is because they are CHILDREN!

Yet some people think these children should be allowed to vote in important countrywide elections?!

Stop the world, I wanna get off! 😬

Well so can 5 year olds in some scenarios, not sure that qualifies them to vote.

But they can join the Forces.

Well, however long you make your lists, it will make no difference. It has happened in Scotland and Wales for Holyrood and Senedd elections. Now Westminster is falling into line. Get used to it!

I think splitting the vote as below is fine. 15% / 15% sounds great.

In fact I hope 16 and 17 year olds push Corbyn’s party ahead of Labour.

Well let's see if Corbyn actually creates a party before you crow about it splitting the Labour vote!

I don't need to 'get used to anything' darling. The majority of them are not likely to vote anyway. Many of them have stated this, and think it's as batshit as many other people do.

Stupid fucking idea. Just one of many from this batshit Government.

Children voting!!! WTF?! 😆 Why not just drop the age to vote to 7 years old? They can walk, talk, feed themselves, read and write, go for a shit on their own, and are still at school. Like 16 year olds. So, let's just drop the vote to 7 hey?! Yeah, why not........! 😂

I'm sure some Mumsnetters would be OK with that! 😂

‘Crow’ I’d say that’s Labour on how good this for them.

Obviously people are interested hence the polling. Even if Labour on mn are not.

and some pay tax.

Five year old voters. Cool.

If you don't even think they will vote, why are you so cross about it?

Methinks Tories are having "a moment".

Some 16 year olds pay tax, so I wouldn’t run that argument too hard.

But so do some 5 year olds, so it’s not a great arbiter of who should be able to vote anyway.

A very good question. There are an awful lot of people in an enormous flap about this.

Oh, and 16 year olds absolutely can drink alcohol. At home, if their parents choose to let them.

If they are going to be on the Electoral Register will they be eligible for Jury Service?

I've met 7 year olds that were much deeper thinkers than some adults. (Not quite ready for voting yet though!)

If the next election is late spring 2029, my currently 12 & 14 year olds will be eligible to vote in it. I don't have an issue with that. They may well vote differently to me, but being in education in the starting phase of their lives, government policy has a lot to do with shaping their futures. Young people today face stressful education systems, significant student debt and a hostile jobs market to try to begin their adult lives. Increasing representation of young people in the systems that dominate their lives is positive.

Age and experience don't automatically bring wisdom and critical thought. I have older family who voted out of tribalism for decades before changing their vote to a recent party for less than noble reasons.

General elections tend to be 4-5 years apart; that can often mean young people are into their 20s before they can vote nationally. That brings that window a couple of years sooner too.
(For me, that would have been a difference between 1997 at 16 and 2001 at 20 for first GE vote)

Doubt it.

16/17 year olds in Wales have had the vote for Senedd (and local) elections since 2021. Minimum age for jury service is still 18 here.

Jesus. This description of teens could equally be describing pensioners.

@Whereishenow it's actually scary how blinkered so many seem to be.

And your other post, they dont suddenly turn into left wingers

@soupyspoon so you are saying 18yr olds are not more likely to vote for left wing parties?

Young voters across Europe have been going to the right.

Certainly among my DDs friends, many in the NHS, Reform are very popular, slightly older than 16/17 but if Labour are doing this for votes, they'll be disappointed.

Not all parties do just what is good for them.

It was in the manifesto, we, as a country voted for it, they are doing what they promised....

Whats the issue?

..... was in their manifesto... why are you sooo surprised?

Where do you live if youngsters find Reform popular? Just curious - SE England? Northern England?

My experience in Scotland is that youngsters are pro-EU, pro-Independence & pro-SNP. Exceptions are the posh landed gentry areas like the Lowlands& Perthshire. Not sure about the islands.

South West. Rural countryside absolutely scorned by Labour, clearly treated as collateral damage.

Only with their parents consent.