Bill to allow 16 year olds to vote to be debated in parliament

Thinking about this last night, it occurred to me that many of the reasons given here for denying the vote to 16 and 17 year olds were the very same reasons given by men, a 100 years ago and more, for denying the vote to women.

It’s been Labour policy for years Oreo, it’s not something Starmer dreamed up.

If Starmer thinks it will help his cause next time around to have 16 year olds voting, he could get a shock.
They’ll vote for the Greens and their wacky ideas if they remember to vote at all.

Basgetti

Oreo

I don’t suppose your Mum with dementia does vote tho Basgetti
As for not in U turn territory tuliptree well that will make a change🤣

She does. Stepdad takes her. No idea who she votes for,

Well, it’s her right to do so but am surprised she bothers to do it.Maybe it’s a case of she votes for whoever your stepDad tells her to.

I wish they would make up their minds. They are either adults at 18 or 16 only adults should have a vote. If they want to give 16 year ilds the vote thrn they should make the age of everything 16. Which is ridiculous because 85% of parents still treat 16, 17 and even 18 year okds kike children.

I have a relative with dementia, she's been taken to vote. Don't think it would happen now as she's bedridden.

Basgetti

FranP

Never had a mortgage; never had to live alone, pay for rent, fuel or food, possibly not for clothes except fashion items.

Never had to decide if they can ever afford to have children.

Yes she does, Rosie51. My stepdad takes her to the polling station. No idea who she ticks.

Thanks for the reply Bagsetti I'm assuming you quoted the wrong post (happens to us all at some time!).
I actually could in theory question whether your mother should still have the vote, but in the great scheme of things I doubt very much that significant numbers of people with advanced dementia actually vote to influence any result. I really think she will be in an insignificant minority of people with dementia who still vote. I hope she is happy in her dementia affected life.

FranP

Never had a mortgage; never had to live alone, pay for rent, fuel or food, possibly not for clothes except fashion items.

Never had to decide if they can ever afford to have children.

Nor had I when I first voted at 19, save handing over some of my wage to my mother as housekeeping.

I worked from age 16 (15 if you count holiday jobs) married at 20; the first time I had had my own home and paid a mortgage. It made no difference to my political views which are no different 50 years later.

Nowaday, many young adults are still living with their parents well into their 30s. By your argument, they shouldn't have a vote either.

FranP

Never had a mortgage; never had to live alone, pay for rent, fuel or food, possibly not for clothes except fashion items.

Never had to decide if they can ever afford to have children.

Yes she does, Rosie51. My stepdad takes her to the polling station. No idea who she ticks.

Oreo

I don’t suppose your Mum with dementia does vote tho Basgetti
As for not in U turn territory tuliptree well that will make a change🤣

She does. Stepdad takes her. No idea who she votes for,

Never had a mortgage; never had to live alone, pay for rent, fuel or food, possibly not for clothes except fashion items.

Never had to decide if they can ever afford to have children.

Basgetti

keepingquiet

There are plenty of immature adults with mental ages of less than 16 who are already voting!

What difference will a few more make?

I think that 16 year olds who take the time and trouble to vote probably have an opinion worth listening to.
My 85 year old mother has dementia. She is entitled to vote. It’s a lottery.

Does your 85 year old mother with dementia actually vote though? Is she fully mobile to get to the polling station or has she applied for a postal vote? I'm guessing (happy to be corrected) that the answer to both is 'no'.

I don’t suppose your Mum with dementia does vote tho Basgetti
As for not in U turn territory tuliptree well that will make a change🤣

Adding a demographic to the electorate that represents just 3% of the total isn’t going to have a huge effect, as I posted upthread.

Take into account:

• Many in that 3% demographic will not be able to vote as their citizenship will not qualify them to do so and

* Many won’t bother to vote. Turnout in the GE 2024 was less than 60%. It hasn’t broken 70% since 1997.

Considering full term general elections only take place once every five years and council elections once every four years (when not postponed for reorganisation), reducing the voting age by two years isn’t going to make much difference to outcomes.

I am 70 now. I have had the vote since I was 18 in 1973. The Representation of the People Act 1969 reduced the voting age to 18. The first GE I voted in was in 1974. For 46 of those 52 years I have not been represented in Westminster by an MP I voted for. It’s frustrating but that’s what passes for democracy - where a government can win a massive majority on just 34% of the vote. Our antiquated FPTP system is unfair.

That’s what we should be more exercised about - Proportional Representation - not this.

keepingquiet

There are plenty of immature adults with mental ages of less than 16 who are already voting!

What difference will a few more make?

I think that 16 year olds who take the time and trouble to vote probably have an opinion worth listening to.
My 85 year old mother has dementia. She is entitled to vote. It’s a lottery.

There are plenty of immature adults with mental ages of less than 16 who are already voting!

What difference will a few more make?

Oreo

Maybe so, in some cases, but we’re talking about giving 16 year olds the vote here.
It hasn’t happened and hopefully won’t happen, tho we saw the SNP in Scotland allowing it quite cynically to get kids to vote for them…hope Labour aren’t following suit.

It’s going to happen. We’re not in U turn territory - the backbenchers will support it and there’s no coherent organised opposition to it amongst the general public. The Tories will whinge but they support votes at 16 for their party leader so look a bit silly

My mum is 85 and is demented. She is allowed to vote. She doesn’t know what day it is.
Our son and daughter very much knew their minds when they were 16 🤷‍♀️

nanna8

I’d think 21,too. A lot of 16 year olds are very immature and so are a lot of 21 year olds but at least by 21 they have left school and are not under the influence of teachers. They just might have a little more experience of the world. It may backfire, a lot of the 16 year olds I have come across have extreme views and not necessarily ‘left’. Your Raving Lunatic party might do very well.

Sir Oink A Lot may do well in Gorton and Denton for the RL Party * Nanna8* 😂

nanna8

I’d think 21,too. A lot of 16 year olds are very immature and so are a lot of 21 year olds but at least by 21 they have left school and are not under the influence of teachers. They just might have a little more experience of the world. It may backfire, a lot of the 16 year olds I have come across have extreme views and not necessarily ‘left’. Your Raving Lunatic party might do very well.

This is at least the second comment talking about being under the control or under the influence of teachers. What do you have against teachers?

dalrymple23

16?? Madness. They are schoolchildren, for heaven's sake. As others have said, the voting age should go back up to 21. Of c ourse they are going to vote for whichever party seems to make their own life better and not for the good of the nation, because they don't have the experience.

I know far too many adults who only vote to make their own lives better and not the good of the whole. I think that’s a pretty ridiculous argument quite honestly.

I assume that you’re joking?

It should be raised to 60.

I’d think 21,too. A lot of 16 year olds are very immature and so are a lot of 21 year olds but at least by 21 they have left school and are not under the influence of teachers. They just might have a little more experience of the world. It may backfire, a lot of the 16 year olds I have come across have extreme views and not necessarily ‘left’. Your Raving Lunatic party might do very well.

Maybe so, in some cases, but we’re talking about giving 16 year olds the vote here.
It hasn’t happened and hopefully won’t happen, tho we saw the SNP in Scotland allowing it quite cynically to get kids to vote for them…hope Labour aren’t following suit.