[Livia]

If 16 years is now the age of an adult capable of voting, looking forward to 16 year olds being tried as adults, given no anonymity and sent to big boy prison.

[arista]

[Crimson Dynamo]

Nigel speaks:

https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1945837816727908842

[Oliver_W]

At 16, you won't be paying taxes, you can't die for your country, or marry without parental consent, so why should you get to vote?

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

At 16, you won't be paying taxes, you can't die for your country, or marry without parental consent, so why should you get to vote?

16 year olds who leave school to do apprenticeships or paid-for training will be paying tax and so there will be 16 and 17 year olds who do pay tax who currently cannot vote.

I am curious, if not paying tax or not dying for your country is a reason to not be able to vote, do you extend that to all ages? I personally don't agree.

Also not sure what marriage has to do with it.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by BBXX

16 year olds who leave school to do apprenticeships or paid-for training will be paying tax and so there will be 16 and 17 year olds who do pay tax who currently cannot vote.

Nope, they don't pay enough to reach the tax threshold.

Originally Posted by BBXX

I am curious, if not paying tax or not dying for your country is a reason to not be able to vote, do you extend that to all ages? I personally don't agree.

Also not sure what marriage has to do with it.

Was mostly sarcasm, as people tend to reel off a list of things that 16 year olds "can" do in order to justify giving them the vote.

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Nope, they don't pay enough to reach the tax threshold.

The minimum wage for most apprenticeships is £7.55 which based on a full time hours would be just shy of 15k.

The starting salary I believe for a 16 year old in the Army is over 15k.

Tax threshold is 12.5k

Unless I am mistaken but I'm pretty sure the above it correct.

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by BBXX

The minimum wage for most apprenticeships is £7.55 which based on a full time hours would be just shy of 15k.

The starting salary I believe for a 16 year old in the Army is over 15k.

Tax threshold is 12.5k

Unless I am mistaken but I'm pretty sure the above it correct.

okay I stand corrected on that point, I knew they paid a pittance but I thought it was more of a pittance

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

Nope, they don't pay enough to reach the tax threshold...

You know, child actors pay tax. Maybe we should give them the vote.

[Glenn.]

God forbid young people have a say in the future they’re expected to live in, especially when we’ve got boomers voting based on whatever GB News fearmongered about that morning.

But sure, keep pretending 16-year-olds aren’t mature enough

[bots]

Age doesn't define someones ability to choose wisely when voting and going by recent polls less than 50% of 16-17 year olds are interested in voting, so there is that too. Lowering the age doesn't necessarily lead to engagement

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by bots

Age doesn't define someones ability to choose wisely when voting and going by recent polls less than 50% of 16-17 year olds are interested in voting, so there is that too. Lowering the age doesn't necessarily lead to engagement

Let’s not pretend older voters are the gold standard of wisdom and political engagement.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

Let’s not pretend older voters are the gold standard of wisdom and political engagement.

you are an older voter

100% of 16 year olds would view you as a pensioner nearing death

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by Crimson Dynamo

you are an older voter

100% of 16 year olds would view you as a pensioner nearing death

You’re far older than I am so you’d be worm food.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

You’re far older than I am so you’d be worm food.

they see us both the same sunshine

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

You’re far older than I am so you’d be worm food.

You must be getting up there. You considered yourself a "young person" when I joined here fifteen years ago. To a teenager you're an old guy.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Crimson Dynamo

you are an older voter

100% of 16 year olds would view you as a pensioner nearing death

Not even 90%. 16-year-olds come in all shapes and forms.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Redway

Not even 90%. 16-year-olds come in all shapes and forms.

Wait, what?🤨

[bots]

I don't think labour have begun to think of the knock on effects. Old enough to vote, old enough to buy booze. Old enough to drive, old enough to stand as an MP and as Livia pointed out, being treated as an adult in the courts

[Glenn.]

Age doesn’t automatically grant wisdom, if it did, we wouldn’t have boomers proudly voting for parties that want to torch public services and then complain about the NHS being understaffed.

So yeah, I trust some 16-year-olds more than I trust a Facebook uncle with a Union Jack profile pic and a love for conspiracy theories.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Alex Phillips @ThatAlexWoman

Dear Labour

16 year olds don't want to vote

They just want a country to grow up in to. One they can call their own.

Perhaps try leaving them that instead? Before using them as pawns to keep your Britain-destroying wrecking ball of a sh*t show government in power.

They are too young to know how toxic you are. But when they are 40 and standing in a dumpster fire of a land where they have become the minority, they will wish you had never existed.

Love,

Britain

[Ninastar]

Eh, this is dumb imo. Most 16 year olds aren’t mature enough/haven’t experienced real life working standards and will probably just vote for what their friends (and teachers…) tell them to

18 should be the age you can vote/drink/smoke/join army/pay taxes etc etc

[joeysteele]

I get far more sense and even compassion on issues from those in my own family of 16 now and most under 16 too.
I get far more hate filled attitude and extreme thinking from those much older.
I've always said 16 year olds should get the vote.
I support this all the way.

HOWEVER.
I remember my Father telling me of when Harold Wilson of the Labour government between 1966 to 1970.
Where he gave the vote to 18 year olds.
Perhaps in the belief that would help him electorally.
When in the end, the majority of them voted Conservative in 1970 and he lost.

I still though think 16 year olds SHOULD have the vote.
They have in some elections in Scotland and Wales.
The other good thing is, they care about issues that Farage and Reform dismiss and don't give a damn about
So it will be no surprise to me to find Reform backers totally against this policy.

It is a Labour manifesto pledge, It should be done and I totally support it.

[Liam-]

It’s always the boomers who swallow everything Fox and GB news throw at them that accuse other generations of being easily influenced

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by Liam-

It’s always the boomers who swallow everything Fox and GB news throw at them that accuse other generations of being easily influenced

Crazy huh.