[Politics] Votes for 16 year olds

[BadFish]

People should be given the choice of voting in elections or voting on reality TV shows.

Under no circumstances should people be allowed to do both.

 

[Chicken Run]

“No taxation without representation” used to be a thing

16 year olds can work full time and pay income tax / NI as a result. Therefore they should get a say in how it’s spent.

I’d love to know how many 16 year olds in the UK actually pay any tax though , my three ‘young adults’ 20, 24 & 29 all at University (with the eldest never having a full time job) haven’t paid any tax in their lives to my knowledge

 

[Perfidious Albion]

One good reason not to vote for them… I6 year olds at school do not have the life experience to vote .

 

[stewart12]

if you're old enough to work then you're old enough to vote in my opinion

ultimately if the Tories are worried about Labour getting a load of new voters, how about they actually propose policies that are attractive to young people?

 

[A1X]

You can work and be taxed at any age.

Not full time under 16, and NI isn’t paid by under 16s

 

[brightn'ove]

I’m in favour. People who aren’t politically switched on wouldn’t vote anyway. There are millions of completely uneducated, easily manipulated fools in this country that get to vote so why shouldn’t that right go to younger people whose lives are proportionally more affected by the results of said elections.

 

[BLOCK F]

I’d rather 16 year olds had the vote than over 70’s.

Oh thanks, why?

 

[CheeseRolls]

Let me see. Votes for 16 year olds versus, well I buy the Daily Mail but only really for the puzzles. At least 16 year olds might be inspired to open their minds a little.

Yep expand the franchise.

 

[clapham_gull]

although you suggest that they would tend to vote Conservative if the current party had a more extreme right wing leader like Thatcher, which I guess is the opposite to what Starmer thinks.

If you actually read what I wrote, you'll see that I didn't say that.....

 

[BLOCK F]

Whereas I knew absolutely everything by the age of 15, was keen to inform anyone and everyone where they were going wrong, and would have relished a vote

Oh well, thank heavens for small mercies, that you and probably 99% of us now bullshitting away on NSC, didn’t have the chance to vote.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I personally think it's ridiculous. Remembering back to being 16 I wouldn't have had a clue. I was more interested in football, girls and trying to get served in wine rack! Having fun as a 16 year old.
As a parent of 2 children now beyond 16, I wouldn't have seen them being ready to vote.
While there are no doubt children of 16 who get it, I'm confident many won't give a care to politics and don't have the life experience to make an informed choice. I was probably still politically niave into my early 20s.
Absolutely ridiculous policy, I see being in service being mentioned as an argument for dropping voting age, they can't be deployed until they are an adult at 18 years old.

Kids are more politically switch on today than we were, mainly due to the clusterfuck of Brexit, criminality of government during covid, the behaviour of the political class at the moment, Ukraine and Palistine.They have grown up with this bollocks being rammed down there throat 24/7 so yes they are engaged. Should they vote at 16? not sure but they have as much right as some senile old fart in their dotage.

 

[Is it PotG?]

“No taxation without representation” used to be a thing

16 year olds can work full time and pay income tax / NI as a result. Therefore they should get a say in how it’s spent.

The word there is CAN.

I agree, IF they are working then they can vote. No job, no vote.

 

[stoo82!]

Exactly this

If I give my 5 year old some pocket money and they buy some sweets, they are taxed in it. So by rights, my 5 year old should have the right to vote.

 

[BadFish]

The word there is CAN.

I agree, IF they are working then they can vote. No job, no vote.

For everyone, including the royal family and retirees.

 

[RandyWanger]

I remember at secondary school year 6 did a mock ge and being a bunch of immature kids, the monster raving loonie party won.

 

[JBizzle]

I’d love to know how many 16 year olds in the UK actually pay any tax though , my three ‘young adults’ 20, 24 & 29 all at University (with the eldest never having a full time job) haven’t paid any tax in their lives to my knowledge

Out of interest, do they pay university fees?

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Not full time under 16, and NI isn’t paid by under 16s

A 12 year old can earn over the threshold and pay income tax.

Should a 12 year old be able to vote?

If 16, why not 12, or 14?

https://www.thp.co.uk/children-aged-under-18-income-tax-national-insurance/#:~:text=Children%20aged%20under%2018%20and%20tax%20–%20Income%20Tax%20and%20National,and%20pay%20no%20income%20tax.

 

[JBizzle]

The word there is CAN.

I agree, IF they are working then they can vote. No job, no vote.

Does that apply to retirees or people with disabilities or people who happen to be unemployed at the time of an election?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Does that apply to retirees or people with disabilities or people who happen to be unemployed at the time of an election?

No idea.

 

[Krafty]

If I give my 5 year old some pocket money and they buy some sweets, they are taxed in it. So by rights, my 5 year old should have the right to vote.

How many 5 year olds work? And how many 5 year olds serve in the army?

Just because they are taxed if they buy some sweets, doesn’t merit them the right to vote as they are not mature enough to do so. Whereas, 16 year olds have greater independence and maturity and so should be able to vote on issues that directly affect them.