If parliament had allowed 16-18 to vote

Older people at the age of 70 lived 30 years of their lives EUless and live the rest with the EU. They know that a single Britain is a better Britain, the younger population just haven't grown any balls and are scared. When you hear stories from your Grandparents or Parents you hear 'When I was young you do this and that and just have fun, but not today as there's so many laws and people are just scared'. The one thing that made Britain was the community and the fact that the country could Unite. We won WW2 on the basis of a strong and united country, fast forward today, I bet you don't even know who your next door neighbor is. Now you get in trouble off the Police for playing football on the street. All the 16 Y/o are just scared of a change, Britain as we know is being taken advantage of, from all this scroaty Romanians to the 7th curry house in a 1 mile radius. And not forgetting the EU members like GERMANY, we're Germanies *****. The EU is outdated, it was but into place to resolve peace, which it has achieved, now we know how to live in harmony and peace together. The Human race has evolved for life not to be about surviving but to be about Living, and in the EU, you are surviving not living!

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 101

hektik

6

Original post by teenhorrorstory

If 16-18 years old were allowed to vote in the referendum, then it's very likely that remain would have actually won. There's a very clear trend that shows how the elderly are very anti EU while the younger people tend to be pro EU. It's very frustrating for me as a 17 year old to see decisions being made by people who will honestly die within the next 10 years while I am unable to have a say. The future belongs to us, the youth.

Voting requires a level and maturity, decision-making and knowledge. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and as 18-years-old and over is regarded as adulthood in our society, it makes good sense to make it the legal voting age. When people become old enough and become legal adults, then they gain the right to vote.

Your point about "people who will honestly die within the next 10 years" being part of the EU decision is disgusting, it's arrogant and completely self-centred. These are the people that, with their own eyes, have watched for decades the things that have occurred in this country, and they remember all the little details of the past few decades that don't all make it into the history books and the minds new generation.

In essence, these people know more, have experienced more and hence have more experience from which to draw conclusions. Of course, as any citizen would, they vote with varying degrees of self-interest, but if anybody sees the bigger picture and knows more about what's happening, it's "people who will honestly die within the next 10 years". Maybe they know something you don't.

Reply 102

Jamie Vardy

3

I'm 16 but to be honest why would anyone want idiots bumming Zayn Malik voting?

Reply 103

banterboy

13

Original post by celloel

As a 16 year old (Year 12), I completely agree with both of you. The amount of people in my college basing their political decisions/opinions on what their teachers tell them is ridiculous.

thing is it doesn't get better when people get older for some demographics

Reply 104

shuu00

14

Original post by teenhorrorstory

If 16-18 years old were allowed to vote in the referendum, then it's very likely that remain would have actually won. There's a very clear trend that shows how the elderly are very anti EU while the younger people tend to be pro EU. It's very frustrating for me as a 17 year old to see decisions being made by people who will honestly die within the next 10 years while I am unable to have a say. The future belongs to us, the youth.

I was saying the EXACT thing earlier

Reply 105

shuu00

14

Original post by celloel

They deserve the right to vote, mate. It's unfair to say because 'they'll die within the next few years' that you are owed the vote more than them. Kind of disgusting actually.

So many people of the older generation have never had the chance to vote on this issue. They deserved their say.

But it literally will not affect them. This isn't about playing all nice, this is about what happens to Britain; let's not forget the younger generations will be affected by this decision far more than people with 10 years or so of their life left.

Reply 106

celloel

20

Original post by shuu00

But it literally will not affect them. This isn't about playing all nice, this is about what happens to Britain; let's not forget the younger generations will be affected by this decision far more than people with 10 years or so of their life left.

And so many of the younger generations (16-17 year olds, heck even those in their early 20s) are very easily influenced - by their peers, their teachers and what they read on the news. They're immature and, the simple fact is, cannot decide something of such a magnitude.

I myself am a 16 year old in a year group of 16-17 year olds, and whilst I have done a lot of research on the referendum, I believe it was best our age did not get the vote. We are young and so many of us are incredibly immature, near-sighted and believe any threat or fears the media or their teachers will tell them - and that's what I've seen from experience.

Reply 107

Rocco123

11

Original post by Blue_Mason

Oh please, most 16 - 18 year olds are clueless when it comes to politics and making important decisions.

I think most people are clueless when it comes to politics, certainly my friends and people I know of my age (16) are very politically aware. Whilst I would say most 16 year olds would vote as their parents do, I think this is equally to do with the fact that their lifestyles are the same (levels of wealth, as most 16 year olds live with and are dependent on their parents) as the fact they have been swayed by their relations' views. As stated previously, 16 year olds can work and contribute to the economy, so why can we not have our say in how we live, especially in such a significant issue as leaving the EU?

Reply 108

TheRabbit

17

In Scotland you can leave school at sixteen, leave home, get married, have sex and therefore have kids, work etc - why should you not be able to vote? Ok in the rUK you can't leave full time education until 18 (I believe) or get married without parental consent until then either but I would say having kids is pretty grown up.

I left school at 17, my brother at 16, both to head to uni - we were clear thinking, knew our political beliefs and living independently - my brother voted in the indyref in 2014 when under 18 and was probably better informed than me at that time. 16 and 17 year olds have engaged with being able to vote in Scotland and I think it encourages young people to be interested in politics and their vote by getting them started early.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 109

username1417556

11

Has anyone thought about the possibility of making a petition in order to allow 16-17 year olds to vote ? I mean I don't see how exactly it would make anything worse if even it came to Leave anyways ? But there must be over a million of us in UK overall to swing the vote - meanwhile a petition only requires 100,000 votes to be debated in the house of parliament...

I would start one myself but quite frankly being an EU citizen I cant :s-smilie:

Anyone up for it ?
https://petition.parliament.uk

Reply 110

CrowEncre

4

I'm 15, and if I could vote I would've left. Before I was waiting for a decent argument to come along and persuade me that I wanted to stay, (bearing in mind, I read many flyers, leaflets, stories, and watched various factual programmes, as I did not wish to be oblivious to my own future) but it never did. No specifics were told, only generalised. Yet, to leave the possibilities were specific and to the point, as well as point out what was really going on in the EU government behind closed doors. Now that leaving the EU has won, it's seems everyone is raving about those specific things we've lost and failed to mention earlier. I wonder why.

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 111

CrowEncre

4

Original post by Blue_Mason

Oh please, most 16 - 18 year olds are clueless when it comes to politics and making important decisions.

You obviously haven't been to many UK high schools lately have you? The amount of debating between students isn't astonishing because it's normal. The amount being absolutely everyone.
Anyway those who are "clueless" are likely the ones who won't vote.

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 112

viriani

5

Scotland allowed 16+ to vote in the hope of winning their independence referendum, it should have been allowed in this one. At age 16 parents can kick children out, they do not have to be responsible for them. And if a 16 year old is allowed to start a family why can't they vote too. (Yes starting a family at 16 may not be the best idea, but it happens, and so should be allowed to vote).

Reply 113

CrowEncre

4

Original post by GUMI

Well we have to draw the line somewhere and society has decided 18. And I agree with them, 18 is when people start university and most start living on their own which marks a time of change. With a sense of independence and responsibility don't you agree it's a fitting time to give them a vote too?

I think if the line for every law was drawn at 18 (such as education, sex, work, etc) then the fuss for a vote for 16 and 17 year olds would be less. The fact that laws have mixed up their ages, has made other laws unfair.
I agree that 18 is a good age to vote, but it is also a good age for many other things that are set younger.
The line must be drawn, but it seems the government doesn't own a ruler.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 114

Lrrgolas

7

Original post by Blue_Mason

Oh please, most 16 - 18 year olds are clueless when it comes to politics and making important decisions.

thats actually single handedly the most one sided and frankly stupid opinion I have ever heard. You are implying that if a large portion of your select demographic is "clueless" they shouldn't have the vote. I would urge you my friend to take a look at the entire population. You will see hundreds of thousands of clueless people over the age of 18. Do they know anything about politics? Hardly. Are they allowed to vote? Yes. The point here is that 16-18 year olds and millennials in general will be living out the consequences of this EU referendum for a considerably longer time than people over the age of 65. That is the undeniable fact. What makes a 17 year old more eligible and worthy of the vote than a "clueless" 18 year old?

You tell me.

Reply 115

laurenelz

At the age of 16/17 you can choose to study politics as an AS Level. Surely an under 18 who chooses to be educated in the topic should have the right to vote? Also, the older generation don't have to lose their right to vote in order for under 18s to gain theirs. No one here mentioned removing the right to vote from over 65s, unless I've missed it? The fact is that older people don't have to live with the decisions they make for as long. Its a fact, not an opinion. If they can make decisions for the younger generation, why can't 16/17 year olds make their own minds up?

Reply 116

dihhfu

Original post by Lrrgolas

thats actually single handedly the most one sided and frankly stupid opinion I have ever heard. You are implying that if a large portion of your select demographic is "clueless" they shouldn't have the vote. I would urge you my friend to take a look at the entire population. You will see hundreds of thousands of clueless people over the age of 18. Do they know anything about politics? Hardly. Are they allowed to vote? Yes. The point here is that 16-18 year olds and millennials in general will be living out the consequences of this EU referendum for a considerably longer time than people over the age of 65. That is the undeniable fact. What makes a 17 year old more eligible and worthy of the vote than a "clueless" 18 year old?

You tell me.

Why are you trying to be so clever? The fact of the matter is that those under 18 are less mature and simply don't have a clue about the economy or the EU. Sure a few 16-18 year old do, but the majority don't. It's ludicrous to even suggest lowering the voting age, if anything i think it should be increased. (Coming from a 17 year old)

Reply 117

Nooglepop

13

Original post by wildleaves

They complain about uneducated people voting out then say let 16 year olds vote.

Most of the 16 year olds that are uneducated now will remain so in the future, but many of the 'educated' people were also well - informed about politics and intelligent enough to make balanced decisions at 16. I am 15 years old, and I would really liked to have votes. I carefully considered viewpoints on both sides, watching all the referendums and debates, and I also watch the news every night. Am I less informed than many of the 30 or 60 years olds who voted. It's not a question of saying that the elderly or uneducated don't deserve a vote, but saying that young people do. The reason people who are ill - informed and uneducated still get a vote is because the result of the election will still affect them, and so I think 16 and 17 year olds (even maybe 15 year olds?) should have been allowed to vote, because the results will affect my future - university, work, housing, travel. I want to be a translator, interpreter and forensic linguist, travelling across the world as I work (this is perfectly possible). From what I've read, there is a real possibility that this could make travelling and working abroad more difficult. Teenagers aren't automatically ignorant or stupid!

Reply 118

Nooglepop

13

Original post by dihhfu

Why are you trying to be so clever? The fact of the matter is that those under 18 are less mature and simply don't have a clue about the economy or the EU. Sure a few 16-18 year old do, but the majority don't. It's ludicrous to even suggest lowering the voting age, if anything i think it should be increased. (Coming from a 17 year old)

So you think that the majority of over 18s are, unlike these supposedly clueless 16 - 18 year olds, are well informed about the EU or the economy?

Reply 119

username2713253

4

I bet 16 year olds probably don't know what is happening right now. Their more likey to be influenced by other people rather than actually to give a vote which they side with.

If parliament had allowed 16-18 to vote

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