comment by Waiting for Franko - He don't look at no walls when he's talkin (U23088)
posted 1 minute ago
Dads of 16 and 17 year olds to get 2 votes.
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There is that, to be fair.

comment by CrouchEndGooner (U13531)
posted 13 minutes ago
No talk of PR is a shame but at least the mayoral elections won't be going FPTP
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I thought they moved to FPTP in 2024 elections?

The Greens could do well out of this too.

comment by EVERYTHING’S POTE! (U17054)
posted 5 minutes ago
There’s an old argument which says that if you’re old enough to join the military, you’re old enough to vote.

If 16 year-olds are able to sign their bodies over to the government, they should absolutely be able to vote.
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You can't join the army at that age without parental consent, so that argument is stupid.

The age of marriage went up; the age to buy cigarettes went up, and yet 16-year-olds are now deemed mature enough to vote?

Don't really get the mature argument. You see people of all ages make stupid reasons for their vote all the time, it'll be no different for 16/17 year olds.

Some will vote for stupid reasons, others will take an interest and vote accordingly.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 9 minutes ago
That will definitely benefit Labour
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I think it could backfire.

I read that young men are turning towards the Reform party, and young women are opting for the Greens.

Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote

Rather than debate how young someone should be to voter perhaps we should have an age limit for voters. Especially for things like Brexit referendums

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 2 minutes ago
Don't really get the mature argument. You see people of all ages make stupid reasons for their vote all the time, it'll be no different for 16/17 year olds.

Some will vote for stupid reasons, others will take an interest and vote accordingly.
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They've had hardly any life experience.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
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You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
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Unless their racist dads make them wear Union Jack suits and drive them to the ballot box.

comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.
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Didn’t Reform get less than the Tories in the 18-24 vote share at the election?

comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Australia is intrinsically racist, they’re probably trying to assimilate

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 minutes ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who voted for Reform at the local elections?

comment by clapfreesince2003 (U22207)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by EVERYTHING’S POTE! (U17054)
posted 5 minutes ago
There’s an old argument which says that if you’re old enough to join the military, you’re old enough to vote.

If 16 year-olds are able to sign their bodies over to the government, they should absolutely be able to vote.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can't join the army at that age without parental consent, so that argument is stupid.

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Explain how the need for consent makes the argument “stupid”.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Australia is intrinsically racist, they’re probably trying to assimilate
----------------------------------------------------------------------

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 8 seconds ago
comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Didn’t Reform get less than the Tories in the 18-24 vote share at the election?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure but seeing Labour being just as useless as the Tories will surely have a knock on effect for people’s faith in the major parties ability to change anything.

Reform are a bunch of conmen but they will likely convince a lot of people in a few years they are worth taking a chance on as long as the two major parties are as awful as they currently are. A lot of money is going to ploughed into this campaign between now and 2029 by Reforms backers.

comment by clapfreesince2003 (U22207)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 minutes ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who voted for Reform at the local elections?
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Racists, conspiracy theorists, economic illiterates, and morons of various other persuasions.

comment by clapfreesince2003 (U22207)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 2 minutes ago
Don't really get the mature argument. You see people of all ages make stupid reasons for their vote all the time, it'll be no different for 16/17 year olds.

Some will vote for stupid reasons, others will take an interest and vote accordingly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They've had hardly any life experience.
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Life experience doesn't automatically mean you make an informed vote though.

There's plenty of people out there who vote for party x because they/their family have always voted that way.

It was rhetorical, Rob.

It is a policy that will benefit Labour in general I’d say. But I understand your point about Reform, that said I think they’re showing themselves to be such an unserious party with the mess they’ve made as MPs and Councillors, that it won’t be attracting that many people that are put off Labour not being being very good in office - at least Labour can offer up competent MPs and councils, Reform can’t even achieve that.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 32 seconds ago
comment by clapfreesince2003 (U22207)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 2 minutes ago
Don't really get the mature argument. You see people of all ages make stupid reasons for their vote all the time, it'll be no different for 16/17 year olds.

Some will vote for stupid reasons, others will take an interest and vote accordingly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They've had hardly any life experience.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Life experience doesn't automatically mean you make an informed vote though.

There's plenty of people out there who vote for party x because they/their family have always voted that way.
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Or because they support a party like a football team, look at Pawl.

comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 1 minute ago
It was rhetorical, Rob.

It is a policy that will benefit Labour in general I’d say. But I understand your point about Reform, that said I think they’re showing themselves to be such an unserious party with the mess they’ve made as MPs and Councillors, that it won’t be attracting that many people that are put off Labour not being being very good in office - at least Labour can offer up competent MPs and councils, Reform can’t even achieve that.
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👍

https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-proud-british-young-lady

A bloody gofundme

comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Darren The King Fletcher (U10026)
posted 8 seconds ago
comment by Robb Cunha (U22716)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 1 minute ago
Reform will attract the loutish element but they’re the least likely to vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You say that - and mostly I agree - but I employ a large number of UK backpackers who aren’t your usual loutish type and it’s quite scary the views they have which are aligned with Reform. It doesn’t help that they’ve all benefited from the sole Brexit benefit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Didn’t Reform get less than the Tories in the 18-24 vote share at the election?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure but seeing Labour being just as useless as the Tories will surely have a knock on effect for people’s faith in the major parties ability to change anything.

Reform are a bunch of conmen but they will likely convince a lot of people in a few years they are worth taking a chance on as long as the two major parties are as awful as they currently are. A lot of money is going to ploughed into this campaign between now and 2029 by Reforms backers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Whether their voters are aware or not, like UKIP, Reform is a protest vehicle; it isn’t a serious political party.

Farage doesn’t want to be PM; there’s no real ideological foundation, let alone a legitimate party structure there; and I’d warrant a very large majority of those bankrolling Reform don’t remotely want them in power, because they’re smart enough to know it’d be an unmitigated disaster of the highest order.

What they want is to use Reform’s agitation to drag the political narrative and the existing political establishment rightwards.

comment by EVERYTHING’S POTE! (U17054)
posted 18 seconds ago
comment by clapfreesince2003 (U22207)
posted 11 minutes ago
comment by EVERYTHING’S POTE! (U17054)
posted 5 minutes ago
There’s an old argument which says that if you’re old enough to join the military, you’re old enough to vote.

If 16 year-olds are able to sign their bodies over to the government, they should absolutely be able to vote.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can't join the army at that age without parental consent, so that argument is stupid.

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Explain how the need for consent makes the argument “stupid”.
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Because the government obviously don't think 16-year-olds are mature enough to make that decision independently.