Should over 70 year olds be banned from voting in referendum to decide the country future

people who just aren't interested in politics and do not bother to inform themselves properly of all the facts, yet they are allowed to vote

This could be said of any sample of demographic of voters. Not just “young” or “old”

Merlot At least with a postal vote you get it well in advance, so you can choose when you drive to the post box next to the polling station with it. When polling day dawns with high winds and lashing rain, you can sit smugly at home.

I certainly do not agree that over 70s should not be able to vote. If anything, I think it should maybe sometimes be the other way around. I know of many young people who just aren't interested in politics and do not bother to inform themselves properly of all the facts, yet they are allowed to vote. Also I find that they are often ignorant of history and the way the world has developed,for example the history behind why we have so many immigrants in the UK etc. Yes, I may have less time to be influenced by the outcomes of any votes, but my children and grandchildren will still be here. I will be voting with that in mind.

I asked DH if he would like me to organise a postal vote for him as he's not terribly well at the moment.

'Yes please,' he said 'And get one for yourself because the weather might be bad and you need to take care of yourself to look after me.

We live two miles out of our village and as I'm the driver the irony of the post box being next door to the polling station is not lost.

Nope, to the original question. And we should all vote unless we really cannot make it to the polling station through a snowy December day. And then you should call the local office of your favoured political party and get them to send a car for you. They'll be there like a shot! People have died to enable us to vote!

Yes, you’re right Elegran, which is why we should take polls with a large pinch of salt I think.

Whenever we read of a poll/survey with a surprising result, we should find out about those factors. Even one with a result which seems a foregone conclusion may have asked leading questions, only allowed a limited choice of answers, selected their respondents from people all likely to answer the same way, or presented the results in a misleading way.

It doesn't take a degree in statistics, just normal common sense. Those who do have a degree in statistics or questionnaire construction could usefully point out the flaws to the rest of us (avoiding too much use of mathematical language!)

Elegran, thank you for that information, it’s very interesting.
All polls are subject to many factors ie where was the poll taken, was it purely online, was a true cross section of the population consulted, was the poll large or small, how was the question phrased. All these factors will effect the result.

Before the referendum we read the less biased papers,listened to all the debates and talked to our grandchildren, one of whom was studying for his first class degree in financial economics. Another is in the film making business. That is why we took the wider view and voted remain for their future. Not ours.

They too have a perfectly clear aim.

Elegran, yes. Divide and rule. I would not believe anything that was published by Wings Over Scotland either. Do some research on that organisation.

Iam60 I am definitely NOT a conspiracy theorist, yet I do wonder whether the seeds of resentment are deliberately being sown and the seedlings watered by those with an interest in the destabilisation of the country, for their own advantage.

I would look East, to Putin who has successfully dabbled in US politics and is known to have an aim to defeat the West and capitalism on all fronts. When the dust has settled on Brexit and on all the inter-generational and other internal conflicts that are so disturbing us, a lot may emerge that is not visible now.

Who would have thought that a Republican candidate for the US presidency would be associated with aides who were consorting with a foreign power to influence internal politics?

Do read ALL the questions in the poll, such as -

Q18. "In matters of potential major permanent change such as Brexit there should have to be a majority of the vote in each of the four nations of the UK separately, as well as in the UK as a whole, in order for the change to take place." 63% yes 37% no.

Q20b. Regardless of how you answered the last question, {which items should be on the ballot paper} do you think there should be a new referendum on Brexit?
59% yes, 39% no

How come those newspapers (Sun, Express) don't mention these results, yet make headlines of the 32% yes, 68% no "disenfranchise the over-70s" one?

My experience is that the young people in our family and friendship group are interesting, politically curious and I don't know any who won't vote.
I also don't come across this anti older people thing. Mind you, we don't have an anti young people approach either. I don't get this need to polarise everything, tedious.

So, according to an organisation who have expressed their wish to break up the UK, because some of the older generation voted a way that some of the younger generation don't like, all of those over 70 should be stripped of their right to hold an opinion and vote for it?

Once again when a "shock poll" apears, we need to consider -

How many people were consulted for this survey? 2013
How were they selected? Online (That is, they were self-selected by those who had an axe to grind, and were computer literate - not many over-70s were asked their vies, then.)
Exactly what questions were asked, and how were they worded? See the detailed results here - www.drg.global/our-work/political-polls/wings-over-scotland-poll-11th-october-2019/
What was the choice of answers? Limited
Who is reporting on the poll? The Sun, the Scottish Sun, The Express. So far.

From a personal point of view I find young people to be no different from anyone else.we employ only a handful of people, but they range from a part timer in his eighties, through to twenty somethings, and everything in between.

We all get on well enough, we of course over the last couple of years had a lot of Brexit discussions, I think we all more or less agree, but even if we didn’t, I think we’d be respectful of each other’s views.

I do know people of my mothers generation who voted totally on the immigration issue, like it’s ever going to affect them in their cosy little communities.

What is wrong with the young to be so hostile?

All you have to do is look at a few threads here Over the last few days. Young people are being slated, left right and centre.

Young people are often put down by older generations being called snowflakes, and being made fun of for being triggered. It’s not hard to imagine why they might be hostile.

Yes, the poll sounds dodgy so we shouldn’t be up in arms about it ( although it’s always fun to do so.)

May I suggest if the research for this poll comes from Whinge, sorry Wings Over Scotland. Please take anything they say with a very large pinch of salt.

Am I allowed to say “bloody hell” ?
My taxes, my input, my life, MY VOTE

I’m afraid I’m finding the humour in some of these posts, even though it really is a serious issue.

‘Oh for heaven’s sake. The sodding suffragettes didn’t have to live through this lot!’

I know you’re not feeling great Gonegirl, but your feisty replies are giving me a laugh. I hope you feel better soon.

Soupy,
‘Is this where I point out that Jeremy Corbyn is now 70 years old.’


Callistemon,
‘I might have joined the suffragists but would not have made a good suffragette.’
Neither would I Callistemon, I like my food far too much, and additionally I’m a coward. I’d have buckled at the first sighting of a rubber tube!

The founder of Wings over Scotland is apparently a former video game designer (what one could term a Really Useful Job) and is 52

Only 18 years to go then!
I bet he changes his tune by then

Although I think it's our duty to vote, I also think we have the right not to vote in this country, unlike a country I have recently been to where people are fined if they do not vote.

Agree varian

We're 70 and 71. DH has been self employed for 42 years and wants to keep on working. We both pay taxes. I do voluntary work.

I have googled where the research came from: The Sun ! The Scottish Sun report:

The Panelbase poll of 2,013 people in Scotland, England and Wales was commissioned pro-Scottish Independence website Wings Over Scotland, after studies showed older people swung the Brexit vote in favour of Leave - and pensioners sealed the 2014 Scottish referendum No victory.

I am horrified that this question has been asked.
Horrified that some people won’t vote.