poontang Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 According to Red Ed "Too many young people are turning their backs on politics". His solution is to give the vote to 16 and 17 year olds. Will this help engage young people or is it a cynical ploy by Labour to garner more support from a far more idealistic section of society? Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simjakcal Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 im sure all 16+17yr olds can spot a pillock a mile off the same as the rest of us......so don't think he'll be any better off ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Offer them a free x-box if they vote, might get them interested. I look forward to seeing the political ads on MTV or whatever these young scallywags watch these days. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 At that age they have no idea about the world and have just been brainwashed by the lefty teachers, just another way of getting votes for labour, same reason they opened the door the immigrants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 This has really followed on from giving kids that age the chance to vote in the Scottish referendum. I was really cynical at first, but they did seem to embrace the opportunity and from what I saw they made a real effort to engage and understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Kids traditionally are more left wing and more reactionary. You could say idealistic as the OP said, Salmond was very clever including them in the Scottish independence debate because I would imagine most of them voted his way. Ed Milliband probably hopes he can borrow the idea and use it to boost the vote for labour. I think that idea might backfire on him because I believe a lot of kids would go for 'the naughty vote' and vote UKIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 im sure all 16+17yr olds can spot a pillock a mile off the same as the rest of us......so don't think he'll be any better off ! The problem as I see it is that people vote for the party and not the person. It goes back to "My grandad voted for Labour, and so did my dad, and so will I", so in that regard it probably would help Labour - I'm not sure if the other parties would benefit quite as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pob Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I'm all for it. I'm sure that most of these new voters are left leaning and the Green party will probably do well. You can get married at 16 and start paying tax, but you can't vote, which makes no sense to me. I'd hope that it will get more people engaged in politics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 At that age they have no idea about the world and have just been brainwashed by the lefty teachers, just another way of getting votes for labour, same reason they opened the door the immigrants. I get to meet a lot of 16 /17 year olds coming through their apprenticeships,some very clever and very bright kids, BUT if their grasping of politics matches their understanding of reality, then lawdy lawd help us, they come out of school so so far to the left now, they would be unable to drive in Europe. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 This has really followed on from giving kids that age the chance to vote in the Scottish referendum. I was really cynical at first, but they did seem to embrace the opportunity and from what I saw they made a real effort to engage and understand. very true was good to see the talk about it to ......and it backfired on him to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fal Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Anyone that is old enough to work and earn money to pay into the system should be entitled to vote. Their age isn't an issue when they are paying tax, ni etc I just fear that their votes will be swayed by the propaganda that is being pumped down our throats by certain parties! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I get to meet a lot of 16 /17 year olds coming through their apprenticeships,some very clever and very bright kids, BUT if their grasping of politics matches their understanding of reality, then lawdy lawd help us, they come out of school so so far to the left now, they would be unable to drive in Europe. KW I thought that about the Scottish kids in the referendum too and was pleasantly surprised, there did seem to be a real engagement around it, almost as though they respected the privilege so put the effort in. It might be very different in party politics though that is fair enough, education does seem to have an overt left wing bias. Kids traditionally are more left wing and more reactionary. You could say idealistic as the OP said, Salmond was very clever including them in the Scottish independence debate because I would imagine most of them voted his way. Ed Milliband probably hopes he can borrow the idea and use it to boost the vote for labour. I think that idea might backfire on him because I believe a lot of kids would go for 'the naughty vote' and vote UKIP Vince I thought they might be a bit idealistic too in the referendum, but it was much more balanced than a lot of us feared and Salmond hoped for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andypaint Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 They've been brain washed by their lefty teachers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I was pleasantly surprised at the young people here and the referendum, my own children were asking very pertinent questions, many of which came directly from debates from school, if they had had the vote it would have been 2 no and one yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Anyone that is old enough to work and earn money to pay into the system should be entitled to vote. Their age isn't an issue when they are paying tax, ni etc I just fear that their votes will be swayed by the propaganda that is being pumped down our throats by certain parties! Interesting point. So people who don't work and don't and/or don't pay tax shouldn't be allowed to vote? Suits me. Not sure all would agree. The problem is that whilst some 16 year olds are mature and sensible most aren't. I know you could say the same about 18 year olds but you need to draw the line somehwere and I think 16 is too young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Anyone that is old enough to work and earn money to pay into the system should be entitled to vote. Their age isn't an issue when they are paying tax, ni etc I just fear that their votes will be swayed by the propaganda that is being pumped down our throats by certain parties! I wonder how many 16 year olds actually pay anything in at all?and they dont have propaganda thrown at them on a daily basis at school do they? KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyxologos Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Great idea. While at it, I think the vote should be removed from grumpy old men too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I wonder how many 16 year olds actually pay anything in at all?and they dont have propaganda thrown at them on a daily basis at school do they? KW What is the biggest influencer in kids perception/behaviour? Is it the school environment, family influence or media whether it is broadcast or social? I would guess family and then peer group and hopefully education encourages them to challenge perceptions, but genuinely don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Great idea. While at it, I think the vote should be removed from grumpy old men too... Absolutely no, we would end up with the daft ideology of the youth and it would all collapse in a heap. The saying that 'youth is wasted on the young' has a lot of merit and i am only just a middle aged grumpy man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I think kids of that age are more likely to listen to their parents politics than to form an opinion of their own . What a cynical attempt to grab votes ,shame on the Labour Party . What next ? 16 year olds in the House of Commons ? Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 At 16 and 17, you have very little life experience and are generally "left" Leaning because of this, probably made worse after years of indoctrination by the NUT. This was my experience anyway, only after graduating really did my political understanding move to the right (funny how paying tax helps that!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Harnser I said exactly the same thing about the kids voting in the referendum and really was pleasantly surprised, they put a lot of effort into finding out. I dare say a lot still went with what their parents say too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmytree Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I agree with the principle, most youngsters are far more aware than adults give them credit for. They're not all gormless, no worse than the adults anyway. It's those 16 and 17 year olds that are going to inherit whatever mess we make so let them have a say now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) I think kids of that age are more likely to listen to their parents politics than to form an opinion of their own . What a cynical attempt to grab votes ,shame on the Labour Party . What next ? 16 year olds in the House of Commons ? Harnser My youngest is 20 now so not to long out of school, whilst there she was full of diverse is good, multicultural beliefs are great, and in truth was a blatant leftie / greenie (even telling me that the company I work for was dangerous bad for humanity and unnecessary ( forgetting that it had given her a damn good lifestyle) 2 years later (after leaving) she asked me if I could get her a job with them!! sadly her grades where not good enough,but now she is older she is working grasping life's true realities and by god talk about a 180 degree turn, and no its not from myself or her mother its from seeing life in the raw and what is actually going on rather than what is "supposed to be going on" so my take is its not the home that sets the mold its the school, so in my opinion at 16 or 17 you dont not have the knowledge of life to vote. KW Edited December 9, 2014 by kdubya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShotGun98 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I'm 16, and i think it's a bad idea! Most people my age would vote not on their personal views but would be influenced by adults around them. Very few young adults actually have a clue about politics. It's not taught enough in schools. If this were to happen i feel it'd back fire on labour with most people voting UKIP or Green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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