16 year olds to be given the right to vote…….yes or no?

A definite YES from me.

16 year olds can work, pay tax, serve in the armed forces. They should have the right to voice an opinion about the future of their country.

After all, the future is theirs … not ours!

I know many young people in that age group who are bright , thoughtful and engaged with the issues of today’s world. If democracy is under threat , largely through the cynical actions of some elderly world leaders , it will be that generation who will be forced to face it and find some solutions .
Citizenship education in our schools can now engage in real politics , and perhaps we will now have a chance to develop a voting public who have been taught to challenge and question the noise being pushed at them .

Too young in my personal opinion.

Children are not allowed to leave education (6th form, college or apprenticeship) until they are 18 so how can they be deemed old enough to vote?

Why do we want to give children with no responsibility and not contributing to taxation the vote. If you want to call them adults at 16 with the responsibility that’s a different argument.

Also, I am cynical about the motive. More likely to vote to get rid of “triple lock” for example. They won’t be able to see they are harming themselves/their own future.. When you are 16, being 60 plus seems ancient and inconceivably far in the distance. Also, anyone noticed how “boomer” is used as an insult these days by many younger people. The arrogance of youth it used to be called. It is actually quite frightening.

No!

A definite no from me.

A definate No from me.

Terrible idea. I first voted at 18. Made a decision (vote for Thatcher) which regretted ever since! 21 was a good age for voting. Children should not have a say in how the country is run. It is not just about knowledge. Maturity and empathy for others are required for making such important decisions. I like young people. I was one once! Also knew lots of peers from various backgrounds. We didn’t know we were born, to coin a phrase, at 18, let alone 16/17.

Oreo

A postal vote maybe then? With Mum or Dad telling them to do it and then posting it for them?

🤣🤣🤣
Except that it’s serious.
If it means more people will vote instead of sitting on their rears and then complaining, probably a good idea.
Do I think it’s a Labour strategy? Of course it is. If it backfires they and others will blame it on the young voters instead of constantly blaming the over 50s.

The only thing that would maybe persuade me that this could be a viable option is if U.K. schools taught all pupils how government works, from Parish Councils right the way up to The House of Lords.

Until then, it’s a no, no and another no.

A postal vote maybe then? With Mum or Dad telling them to do it and then posting it for them?

Casdon

Yes from me. We’ve had voting at 16 in Welsh elections since 2021. Young voters take their responsibility more seriously than a lot of older people do.

If they can get off their phons long enough and be arsed to walk to a polling station.Or does the school march them there?

No from me.

Yes. They won’t know much, but then neither do most 18-year-olds, or for that matter the rest of the electorate.

16 year olds are deemed to be children in the eyes of the law, so why would we give the vote to children?
It’s a shameless exercise in the hopes of hanging onto power from Labour, when they should be acting in a way that the population wants them in power for their good policies.Of course having blasted that out of the water in their first year they feel they need this.
We don’t have to do anything in line with devolved governments, and we all know why Scotland brought it in, to get kids to vote for a separation from England.It didn’t work in any case.
Thank goodness we didn’t go down the rabbit hole with trans issues in England.

Yes from me. We’ve had voting at 16 in Welsh elections since 2021. Young voters take their responsibility more seriously than a lot of older people do.

No from me too, tho I hadn’t thought it a desperate.

Perhaps reboot the old Youth Councils idea, giving them stronger legs and ensuring that those who advise them have this as a key role and that they are thoroughly briefed.

Yes from me

Calendargirl

X post Sago

Will ask for mine to be deleted.

Sorry didn’t see yours😱

Labour's election manifesto last year pledged to lower the voting age to 16 - in line with Scottish and Welsh elections so not a desperate measure.
I say yes.

Definitely a no from me.

Totally against this. The country is a bloody shambles and is only set to get worse 😤😤

X post Sago

Will ask for mine to be deleted.