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Should the voting age across the UK be lowered to 16?
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Official House of Commons
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#1
In Scotland, 16 and 17 year olds can vote in local and Scottish Parliamentary elections.
Should the rest of the UK also allow votes at 16?
Danielle Rowley, MP for Midlothian, is leading a Westminster Hall debate on equality of voting ages in the UK. You can watch the debate live on Parliament TV from 4pm http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index...f-eff7dffe5b5a
Should the rest of the UK also allow votes at 16?
Danielle Rowley, MP for Midlothian, is leading a Westminster Hall debate on equality of voting ages in the UK. You can watch the debate live on Parliament TV from 4pm http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index...f-eff7dffe5b5a
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FlintofBavaria
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#2
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#2
Absolutely not. I've just turned 18 and even now, after studying politics for nearly two years I think many people at this age have no clue about politics and shouldn't vote, so why should even less experienced children, not even legally adults have the right to say about the countries future?I won't say all 16's are immature and neither are all adults who vote, so personally i'm happy to keep the status quo. I was 16 when the Scottish referendum happened and I was appalled the Scottish tried to cheat the vote by allowing 16 y/o to swing the vote in favour of independance.
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the bear
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#3
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#3
this really discriminates against 15 year olds 
how are 16 year olds more qualified to vote than 15 year olds ?
how are 16 year olds more qualified to vote than 15 year olds ?
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04MR17
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#4
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#4
No taxation without representation. I don't mind which you pick, but 16 year olds shouldn't be liable to pay into the system through direct taxation if they don't get a say on who runs the system.
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Know Your Enemy
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#5
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#5
(Original post by the bear)
this really discriminates against 15 year olds
how are 16 year olds more qualified to vote than 15 year olds ?
this really discriminates against 15 year olds
how are 16 year olds more qualified to vote than 15 year olds ?
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indy1999
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#6
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#6
No! There is little to no political education, even the people eligible to vote don't know what they're voting for.
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the bear
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#7
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#7
(Original post by Know Your Enemy)
How are 18-year-olds more qualified to vote than 16-year-olds?
How are 18-year-olds more qualified to vote than 16-year-olds?
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Know Your Enemy
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#8
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#8
I'm personally in favour of lowering the age, but I think political education should be a mandatory part of the curriculum before the voting age is lowered. Having political education a part of the curriculum improves their political knowledge as they're learning more about how the system works, etc. We should also be encouraging teenagers to actually have a political interest, which would increase the quantity of young voters. In my opinion, 18-year-olds aren't much more mature than 16-year-olds so teenagers should therefore get a vote.
You can enrol in the army at 16 and get married at 16, yet 18 to vote? If nobody's willing to lower the voting age, a sensible alternative would be to raise the army enrolment/marriage age to 18 so the limits are actually consistent.
You can enrol in the army at 16 and get married at 16, yet 18 to vote? If nobody's willing to lower the voting age, a sensible alternative would be to raise the army enrolment/marriage age to 18 so the limits are actually consistent.
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username2998742
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#9
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#9
Yep! If the government think you're mature enough to have sex, enrol in the army and get married at 16, you should be able to vote.
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ScottishBrexitor
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#10
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#10
Only lower it if you lower everything else such as the smoking, drinking and driving age.
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bones-mccoy
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#11
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#11
Only if proper, unbiased education is given at schools so they actually understand who and what they're voting for
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She-Ra
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#12
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#12
(Original post by indy1999)
No! There is little to no political education, even the people eligible to vote don't know what they're voting for.
No! There is little to no political education, even the people eligible to vote don't know what they're voting for.
(Original post by bones-mccoy)
Only if proper, unbiased education is given at schools so they actually understand who and what they're voting for
Only if proper, unbiased education is given at schools so they actually understand who and what they're voting for
I feel it shouldn't be the history of politics as that's bland - it needs to be up to date discussion/ debate on issues in the news locally and nationally for it to feel relevant and insightful. Students then can begin to forge their own opinions.
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CaytSW
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#13
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#13
I can see why people at 16-17 want to vote, at that age you're suddenly being handed a lot of responsibility that you've never experienced before and are suddenly expected to know a lot more about the world, but in personal opinion I feel as though that massive shocking change to 16-17yos could cause them a lot of confusion if they were also being pressured to vote. I'm not 100% set on this but I feel that it makes more sense for that 2 year period to be used for young people to come to terms with what their political opinions are for themselves and then go into voting at 18 with a clearer mindset
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username3786078
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#14
999tigger
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#15
Notoriety
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#16
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#16
Most people who vote are disgustingly stupid. It is inappropriate to pretend the act of voting requires or encompasses mature thought.
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username3786078
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#17
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#17
(Original post by Notoriety)
Most people who vote are disgustingly stupid. It is inappropriate to pretend the act of voting requires or encompasses mature thought.
Most people who vote are disgustingly stupid. It is inappropriate to pretend the act of voting requires or encompasses mature thought.
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303Pharma
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#18
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#18
(Original post by 04MR17)
No taxation without representation. I don't mind which you pick, but 16 year olds shouldn't be liable to pay into the system through direct taxation if they don't get a say on who runs the system.
No taxation without representation. I don't mind which you pick, but 16 year olds shouldn't be liable to pay into the system through direct taxation if they don't get a say on who runs the system.
It's not about age. There's probably just as many 16/17 year old's with a solid grasp of political theory, history, philosophy, and current affairs, as there are adults with no knowledge, or interest in politics whatso ever, but vote based on random reasons, such as which party leader they think looks the fittest (know that one from personal experience).
If you work, and pay taxes, (and if you work legally, you get no choice in the matter or face the courts), then you should have the right to vote, even if not considered an adult legally.
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8472
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#19
RF_PineMarten
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#20
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#20
(Original post by Less(e/o)n)
No. If anything, the voting age should be increased.
No. If anything, the voting age should be increased.
Leave my vote alone thank you very much.
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