Young non voters

But isn't the basis of our political opinions our whole value system? In that case we will of course influence our children and grandchildren.

I always say to non-voters that they can't blame the Government for things they are not happy about if they didn't vote for the one they wanted. People can't sit on the fence then blame whoever gets in for everything that goes wrong. Everyone who has a vote has a responsibility to use it and that applies to young people especially I think

Certainly hope so, J52. Eldest granddaughter lives in Salford, has a first class degree and is on a zero hours contract despite working over 40 hours a week since she graduated. I know who she will not be voting for.

What do other parents and grans say when their grand/children ask about anything political? Children are always asking questions. Do they say it's nothing to do with them?

Durhamjen; the youngsters in your family certainly sound as if they will be well prepared to vote and take a full role in society, when the time comes. x

My 7 year old granddaughter came round with her mother to pick up her brother. There was a copy of the Guardian's party promises article on the table, so she immediately asked who we were voting for and why.
Her brother is looking forward to the next election when he should be able to vote, depending on whether he's allowed to become a British citizen at 18.
Their 22 year old cousin will be voting for the first time and is very excited.
Isn't it up to families as well as schools to educate children about politics?
My grandson will be coming with me next week when I go to vote. He knows what happens at the polling station, and will probably have a chat to those working there.
We were at Beamish last year when the Suffragettes started an argument in the cafe. The kids wanted to know all about it, and were most upset at the idea that the woman was going to be taken to jail, and that she did not have a vote.

I wasn't advocating political bias. Children and GC probably are aware of family preferences, but just to make sure that they understand the role of Government and the historical context of the right to vote.

x

J52, I don't know that teaching civic responsibility is something for grannies to do, perhaps if our DGC talk about it, you can encourage discussion.The worry is that we will influence their thinking with our own partisan political thought.The same goes for parents.Encouraging them to vote, and to be interested in politics because it will affect them directly in their lives seems to be the best way to go.

The young people, some in their 20s, didn't know very much about the British Constitution. By that I mean the make up of parliament or government.

They, maybe through no fault of their own, appeared very unaware of how government affects their lives.
The young people interviewed seemed to be in work and motivated about life.
x

Is citizenship part of PGSE nowadays?

I think that politics today does not have so many "characters" that it used to have.
Most politicians are coming from the same sort of background and upbringing, and it shows. So there is not much for the young to differentiate between.

Plus the young are now more interested in themselves[generally speaking]
Selfies, and celebrity culture, and looking good etc.

Politics have become blah to them.

My Dgd will be 18 in July. She voted in the September referendum and is disappointed that she can't vote in the GE. I was delighted to see how involved and motivated she and her peers were and will be interested to see the post GE statistics on young voters north and south of the border.