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Jeremy Paxman says 'no votes for pensioners'

(648 Posts)
LucyGransnet (GNHQ) Fri 09-Feb-18 10:34:30

Good morning!

In the Daily Mail yesterday, a story quoted Jeremy Paxman saying that pensioners had 'betrayed young people' and that, as a result, over 65s shouldn't be allowed to vote.

He also said: ‘I think that my generation have behaved like spoilt children. And, like spoilt children, our response is “it’s not my fault”. It’s never our bloody fault.

‘Actually, it is, because we have failed to recognise the consequences of our behaviour.’

Here's the full story: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5370159/Ban-spoilt-elderly-voting-says-Jeremy-Paxman.html

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 19:32:52

hmm well, some of us old farts helped their DC on to the housing ladder by loaning (or in some cases giving) them their lump sum from their hard-earned pensions. Some of us would only dream of earning what Paxo earned/earns.

Some of us even voted Remain! Wow - fancy that Unbelievable - and I bet that Paxo didn't
Some of us had young family members who voted to Leave - well I never

Some of us didn't even consider the triple lock etc when we voted, some of us voted for someone who had some principles which were not apparent at the time, which made him resign. Not those I agree with btw.

Some of us have never, ever, been spoilt.

I don't live in Cloud Cuckoo Land and I thought the only Unreal World was on forums like this?

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 19:26:11

Even after taking another look I'm not sure what you mean trisher
And which half a sentence please so that I can respond?

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 19:23:48

Ooh righty ho, I'll take another look trisher

trisher Sat 10-Feb-18 19:20:02

POGS I think Paxman hs a point because some old people refuse to live in the real world or recognise that there are real problems in our society which they have chosen to turn their backs on. If voting is left to those reactionary old farts we will eventually return to a society very like Victorian England where being poor is seen as some sort of judgement.
Jalima1108 try using the whole quote and not choosing half a sentence. Why won't any of you discuss what has brought Paxman to his conclusion. Too close to the truth perhaps?

Overthehills Sat 10-Feb-18 19:18:08

And, GabriellaG, some people have better manners than to point out spelling mistakes ...

loopyloo Sat 10-Feb-18 19:10:58

Gabriella g ...... but some people have more opportunities than others.

GabriellaG Sat 10-Feb-18 18:25:03

??

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 18:13:17

Yes, it is but I knew what Gracesgran meant

I expect the old f**t is sitting back, sipping his pre-prandial glass of whatever whilst some minion - or even his new young partner - prepares his dinner. He could even be glancing at this thread, enjoying the furore he has purposely caused.

Perhaps he even thinks, when he looks at her, that he is still a 'young thing' not the grumpy old git that he actually is.

GabriellaG Sat 10-Feb-18 18:00:40

Actually, Gracesgran, the word is verbose.

POGS Sat 10-Feb-18 17:50:08

If a person believes Paxman has a point and they agree with him and are over 65 then it's quite simple , don't vote. Don't be a hypocrite .

If somebody feels they have nothing to contribute as to who or what they would vote for because they are over 65 then it's simple , don't vote. Nobody is forcing them .

The last 2 / 3 years has seen the most divisive , nasty politics I have noted for many years and it didn't start with the European Referendum although that has certainly exacerbated the bile. It started with some politicians using the generational/ class divide to their advantage on election , the old ' Divide and Conquer ' theory.

It isn't even done subliminally it is spouted loud and clear .

Where the hell does all this virtue signalling stop?

GabriellaG Sat 10-Feb-18 17:48:50

Lyndylou

I too left my all girls Grammar school aged 16 and straight into work, eventually having 3 jobs to afford the lifestyle I wanted. After I married and had my first child I commenced (and finished) a law degree (2-1) through the OU. None of my children went to uni but 2 won scholarships to private/public schools and all are homeowners in good areas without parental help in fact, one of them owns 2 homes outright and that AC left school without sitting GCSEs. It's a question of grabbing opportunities.

M0nica Sat 10-Feb-18 17:46:25

Jeremy Paxman is just another old f**t celebrity, throwing tantrums because he cannot accept that his time in the spotlight is over.

Recent research has shown that the idea of the 'youthquake' vote in the referendum is a myth and there was very little rise in the under 30 vote. At 65 many people can expect to live another 25 - 30 years. An awful lot can happen in 25-30 years. including young voters reaching their 50s.

loopyloo Sat 10-Feb-18 17:32:45

I am tired of older men being paid a fortune by the BBC when if they were women they would have been dropped ages ago.
This includes J P .
Let's have some new younger people and save the licence players' money.

Overthehills Sat 10-Feb-18 17:24:18

Exactly Jalima - today 16:26. The thread is about Paxman’s opinions isn’t it? Why shouldn’t we be discussing what the thread is about? confused

GabriellaG Sat 10-Feb-18 17:22:33

I'll email Paxo and ask him to provide a shovel for me to dig my grave asap.
Hope he sends a wreath.

FlorenceFlower Sat 10-Feb-18 17:21:24

Oh dear, statistics! On Referendum day, I was out reminding people to vote (GOTV) - I was astounded by the number of younger people who were away on holiday, or were going out straight from work and hadn’t voted, hadn’t arranged either a proxy or postal vote, etc.

My father, 96, said that he would cut his hand off, rather than vote to leave Europe, having seen the horror of European countries at war.

I think only 10% of ‘younger’ people even registered to vote, and many didn’t vote.

?

NemosMum Sat 10-Feb-18 17:02:26

Paxo is having a rather delayed mid-life crisis.

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 16:52:42

Judging by what Paxman has said in the past about the EU we could presume that he voted to leave.

Is this his conscience pricking him because he thinks now that he may have made the wrong decision?

newnanny Sat 10-Feb-18 16:49:47

I was teaching in a school when we had referendum. The school gave all students a vote to see how they would vote. They also had assemblies on main arguments for remain and leave. Students voted 56% to leave and 43% remain 1% spoilt papers. Not what staff expected to happen. I think regional votes also played a part. People of all ages should be treated fairly and given vote.

Nonnie Sat 10-Feb-18 16:48:50

Only just got back on Gn since yesterday and now ploughing through this thread.

I wish people would remember that the £200 (per household) winter fuel allowance was originally given instead of a rise in the pension. The value of it has been eroded over the years. The only concession I would make is to make it taxable.

Someone said that we take our cards to the polling station and a number is taken from them. No, not in my case, I've never taken the card with me, it isn't necessary.

Lost already said but I don't think anyone has made the following point.

A lot of time and talk is wasted by blaming the older generations for the state of things today. That doesn't help anyone. Yes, we learn from history but going over it all again and again doesn't change a thing. Would it not be better to put all this energy and thought into doing something about it? You can't change the past but you can change the future.

I get irritated by the constant individual comparisons. Yes, housing is difficult but what about all the things that are easier? School uniforms are so very much cheaper than when I was buying them, you can get them in the supermarkets these days. Food is cheaper, there are nurseries and a certain amount of free time in them. Life is different, get over it and do something useful instead of whinging,

Cherrytree59 Sat 10-Feb-18 16:46:59

Bring back Bamber!

University challenge will be all the better with out the over inflated Paxman ego.
He thinks he down with the 'young uns'.
who does that remind of hmm.

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 16:26:21

I still find it interesting that people will focus on the unlikely scenarios (over 65s losing the vote)
But surely this is what this thread is about - other issues should be the subject of another thread and introducing them is an attempt to deflect from the OP (which I thought was an offence on GN).

Jalima1108 Sat 10-Feb-18 16:24:18

Do you mean the programme commissioned by the BBC pre-referendum Conni7?
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/paxman-eu

I remember the programme because it made me feel extremely uneasy about the whole EU project .

From the Independent around the same time:
A hint of Paxman’s private reservations over the European project have emerged from his public comments since quitting Newsnight. Europe has been “nothing but trouble for us” and Belgium was a “pointless little country”, he joked at a literary festival.

varian Sat 10-Feb-18 16:21:07

Are you really telling us lemon that we are not allowed to mention how folk voted in the EU referendum in a thread about Paxo making remarks about the way folk voted in the EU referendum?

Rosina Sat 10-Feb-18 16:14:34

Would Jeremy Paxman like to enlarge upon why the over 65's are to blame for everything? Am I to feel guilt because my house has appreciated in value? This is useless to me - I love my home and have no intention of leaving it, but the 'value added' will benefit my children when I drop off my perch. In my entire life I have claimed one week of Jobseeker's Allowance from the state - £17.00. I could go on - as have many other G.Netters with similar threads over the months and years, and although I generally like JP, on this occasion I feel like suggesting he might go and boil his head.