Should 16yr olds have the vote?

[Lynsab]

Interesting debate on UK tv this morning...

I believe they should...they can work and pay taxes, they can get married and have children, even join the TA....they attend schools, colleges etc which need funding...

Their vote it's believed, kept Scotland in the union...

If they had they had the chance to vote in the referendum things may have turned out different, we will never know, of course I accept the fact that young voters will look at moralistic issues rather than economic ones....but nevertheless the PM would not allow it this time as most have left wing leanings....even though the Conservative party allows 15yr olds to vote in ballots within the party ....hypocritical?

It's now obvious that 16yr olds who would have been able to vote in their first GE come 2020 won't now get the opportunity until 22..... even though it's their long term futures affected....

Are we depriving the young from voting.?

In the Scottish indi referendum 94% of 16yr olds registered and 75% actually voted....

Personally I have one 16yr old granddaughter who would relish the chance....

[Jimgward]

I would back this for the statistics given. You can pay tax as a 16 year old and not vote, seems wrong.

[smudger]

Can't agree. I don't believe that the majority of under 21s, let alone 16 year olds have the maturity and understanding of either politics or current affairs. And yes, I know there are exceptions, but I'm speaking majority.
Saying that results may have been different in any previous vote or referendum does not correlate to better, you could only ever say it may be different, so what's the point?

Passionate as I am, and have been for around 40 years, about politics and current affairs I can say that for several years once I was able to vote I simply followed my parents preference, again what's the point? I voted, but not with any conviction.

My experience of the youngsters I worked with and amongst for the final 13 years of my working life endorses my feelings. Again, there were and are exceptions, but even in the politics A level class I joined for 2 years, the exceptions were in a large minority.

[Lynsab]

Of course 16yrs olds today are not as they were in my time...far more knowledgeable and more forthright than my generation ever were....thank god...

I never missed voting as women died to make sure I got the vote, and have always voted for who I wished...especially since the dark days of the 70's ....

My youngest is a teacher/head of dept....and believes strongly that 16yr olds should indeed have the vote...he knows far more about the mainstream youth than I....of course many of them who don't care won't vote...but it's THEIR future they and should be strongly encouraged ...

But of course I realise this will be thwarted by May ....

[jen]

You cannot join the TA at 16.

[ApusApus]

You can work at 16 & pay tax at 16 so you are contributing to the country, then why should a 16 year old not be able to have a say about who should run it? Whether they are "mature" enough to vote is irrelevant!


Shane

[Jimgward]

There are some who claim, that people over 70 shouldn't be allowed to vote....

I think its preposterous....

[Lynsab]

You cannot join the TA at 16.

My mistake I should have said regular army, the RAF for pilot training is 17.5yrs...gosh so young

[josef k]

No taxation without representation. It was true in 18th century America and is true now.

[Dominic]

No taxation without representation. It was true in 18th century America and is true now.

Sums it up nicely.

[cyprusgrump]

I'm aghast at the thought of 16 year olds being able to vote given their rather cosseted view of the world (and my view of the liberal left educational system)...

However, I'm in agreement with "No taxation without representation" or perhaps more realistically "No representation without taxation" and so I'd be happy for those that had left the 'state funded' education system and entered the 'real world' of taxpayers (at whatever age) being given the mandate to decide how their taxes were spent...

I thought kids had to stay in the education system until 18 these days...?

[Dominic]

I thought kids had to stay in the education system until 18 these days...?

So did I, as it happens.

[smudger]

Kids leaving school UK

https://www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

[bromerzz]

Children leave school and go to College - seems like the same thing just different terminology.

England
You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

You must then do one of the following until you’re 18:

stay in full-time education, for example at a college
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

[Varky]

People/Children even younger than 16 years old may be liable for tax in one way or another. Does that mean that they all should be able to vote? Just asking.

[Poppy]

Blimey school leaving has changed - I had no idea although it seems like a good thing.As regards 16 year olds being eligible to vote then personally I do not think it is a good idea as I think they at least need some experience of working life to afford a balaced outlook on life.

[cyprusgrump]

Blimey school leaving has changed - I had no idea although it seems like a good thing.As regards 16 year olds being eligible to vote then personally I do not think it is a good idea as I think they at least need some experience of working life to afford a balaced outlook on life.

They need some experience of the government stealing a large percentage of their hard-earned...

[PhotoLady]

Yes.

[Cogs123]

I too believe they should be allowed to vote, the Brexit negotiations will affect this age group much more than it will our generation.

[kingfisher]

I believe the current voting age is correct.
The fact that young people are more pro-remain only demonstrates that they are more easily taken in by politicians, the “media”, the “experts”, and all the other powerful establishment forces. This is hardly surprising, since most kids have been immersed for their short lives in a media-dominated world, and not reality. Let’s face it, the “establishment” with "Project Fear" threw all they could get their hands on at the Leave position, backed by a great deal of money- and still lost! No amount of bull- even wheeling out Obama and other “giants” like elder statesmen Blair and Major could alter the minds of those who based their decision on a lifetime of first hand experience and the wisdom of age. This latter quality was respected in human society for about a million years up until very recently, which is probably why the human race is still here to vote.