Votes at 16. The Starmer government, last week, announced its commitment to deliver a manifesto pledge to reduce the voting age for general, and all, elections.
Mr Starmer assures us all that we should give the young a chance to vote (they all get it at 18, so arguably not that long to wait), and they are “chomping at the bit” to get to the polling station.
An opinion poll might suggest otherwise. When asked, 49% of 16 to 18-year-olds said they would definitely not vote, whilst just 18% said they definitely would. Maybe Starmer asked a slightly selective group.
But it does beg the question, why 18?
Of course, this question could be asked of many issues. Why is it OK to have sex on your 16th birthday, but not with your partner a day younger than you? And if it is OK to have sex at 16, why can’t they go to an X rated movie? And now it is law to be in full time education or training until the age of 18, the opportunity to earn enough to pay tax is limited.
It also begs other questions. If it is OK to vote at 16, then surely it is OK for 16-year-olds to go to the pub and buy spirits in off-licenses. Perhaps they might like to indulge in a little gambling. A day at the races, perhaps.
More importantly, many children’s services are guillotined at 18, rather harshly, I feel.
Everyone appreciates that there is no single cut off moment when someone transforms from being a child, an adolescent, to being an adult. Everyone is an individual and everyone matures at slightly different rates. So why 18?
The reason is that the United Nations, in order to have some kind of defining moment that marks the moment laws across the world need to change with regard responsibility, has set 18 as the moment under that a child stops being childlike, and becomes an adult.
So, Mr Starmer now feels that children can vote. I’d like to hear his views about the other points I raise.
I am, broadly, relaxed about it. But what I am less relaxed about is 16 and 17 year olds being allowed to vote in elections, but not allowed to stand as candidates. This change should include that right, or not happen at all. To paraphrase Orwell, all voters are equal, but some voters are more equal than others.
