Should 16 year olds have been given a vote in the EU referendum?

Reply 20

ThatDoesntTickle

12

Original post by JordanL_

This doesn't change. Most of their parents vote whichever way their parents voted too.

That's less to do with being passive to their parents opinions and more to do with their upbringing though.

Reply 21

Audrey18

21

@Ambitious1999 @ThatDoesntTickle @Reue @TooFocused @ThatDoesntTickle @JordanL @niv1234 @sophieebarber @greghayes @The Moo @Inazuma

It doesn't matter if the voting age is lowered or increased. The EU has spent loads of money on advertising as to why UK should remain in the EU. Also many teaching institutions across Europe and UK receive loads of funding from the EU. So the institutions would have tons of ugly banners and placards all around it. They also need to brainwash their students.
https://fullfact.org/europe/how-much-money-do-british-universities-get-eu/
http://blog.universitiesuk.ac.uk/2014/05/21/eu-membership-impact-uk-higher-education/
http://www.universitiesforeurope.com/register/Documents/The-European-Unions-contribution-to-UK-higher-education.pdf
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25961243
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/nov/07/european-funding-higher-education-uk

And if you look across the teaching institutions in the UK alone, most of the lecturers are from the EU. I have read several articles and watched videos where these EU lecturers are displeased about UK having this referendum. Because they know that if UK votes to leave EU, these lecturers will have to not only apply for work permits to teach in the UK but they must also complete with lecturers from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, India etc. The current system/hiring practices discriminates people from these countries.

I don't see the Leave side winning because when you factor in the EU funding across many British institutions, the large number of EU lecturers in UK unis, the large number of British High Commissioners around the world who have gotten into the act of convincing British expats that they must vote to Remain if not UK will crumble etc, the outcome seems plainly obvious.

I hope to be proven wrong.

Reply 22

Reue

20

Original post by Audrey18

@Ambitious1999 @ThatDoesntTickle @Reue @TooFocused @ThatDoesntTickle @JordanL @niv1234 @sophieebarber @greghayes @The Moo @Inazuma

It doesn't matter if the voting age is lowered or increased. The EU has spent loads of money on advertising as to why UK should remain in the EU. Also many teaching institutions across Europe and UK receive loads of funding from the EU. So the institutions would have tons of ugly banners and placards all around it. They also need to brainwash their students.
https://fullfact.org/europe/how-much-money-do-british-universities-get-eu/
http://blog.universitiesuk.ac.uk/2014/05/21/eu-membership-impact-uk-higher-education/
http://www.universitiesforeurope.com/register/Documents/The-European-Unions-contribution-to-UK-higher-education.pdf
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25961243
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/nov/07/european-funding-higher-education-uk

And if you look across the teaching institutions in the UK alone, most of the lecturers are from the EU. I have read several articles and watched videos where these EU lecturers are displeased about UK having this referendum. Because they know that if UK votes to leave EU, these lecturers will have to not only apply for work permits to teach in the UK but they must also complete with lecturers from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, India etc. The current system/hiring practices discriminates people from these countries.

I don't see the Leave side winning because when you factor in the EU funding across many British institutions, the large number of EU lecturers in UK unis, the large number of British High Commissioners around the world who have gotten into the act of convincing British expats that they must vote to Remain if not UK will crumble etc, the outcome seems plainly obvious.

I hope to be proven wrong.

Why have you tagged me in this? :s

Reply 23

Inazuma

20

Original post by Audrey18

X

It's common sense that people and groups seek to protect their own interests in elections and votes.
It's nothing new at all.
Not sure why you were expecting different.

Reply 24

nicoleaa

1

I personally would have loved to be able to vote but I understand most people my age aren't informed, are plain ignorant or as others have said, they stick to what their parents tell them. Eh I would've liked the ability to vote especially in something as big as the referendum.

Reply 25

username4596938

4

Original post by Ambitious1999

A lot of the younger generation are probably more pro-EU than older people. I think 16 and 17 year olds should have been allowed to vote as they're sufficiently informed enough to understand the politics and issues.

They were allowed to vote in the Scottish referendum.

If they were allowed to vote in the EU referendum the result could be quite different with more 'remain in' votes. Do you agree?

Teenagers may feel mature and informed but looking back I shudder to think how I would have voted at 16.... and think the voting age should be increased to at least 21.... I know that a lot of people will disagree but there are good reasons why I think it could be raised to as high even as 40 yrs. I know many under 40 will have strong opinions to the contrary (I certainly would have) but honestly, you are never as grown up and mature as you think that you are. After a couple of decades as an adult your wisdom and experience cause you to re-evaluate a lot of things...

Reply 26

Bang Outta Order

20

LOL that's just desperate.

"we gotta stay in the EU somehow. oh, i know. let's lower the voting age. that should bring our numbers up."

reminds me of Obama desperately needing votes his 2nd run, and so he literally signed an act that brought in loads of unqualified south americans :rofl:

just to get votes from hispanics. "sure we've got our votes, but now we have a huge mess to clean up. ah ok let the next guy handle it."

https://media.giphy.com/media/Rhhr8D5mKSX7O/giphy.gif

Reply 27