Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments.
How do we give young people the tools to make their vote meaningful?
I read with interest the recent coverage of Sir Keir Starmer’s support for extending voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds (Metro, Fri).
While I agree that young people who work and pay taxes deserve a say in the direction of government, this right must be matched with serious policy commitments.
It is worth noting that young people in this age group are still legally prohibited from marrying, getting tattoos, buying alcohol, or playing the National Lottery.
If society considers them not yet ready for these decisions, then simply granting the vote without additional support may be insufficient. The government must address this contradiction with a robust and forward-looking youth manifesto.
Such a manifesto should include improved mental health services in schools, paid internships and employment pathways, affordable or free public transport, and enhanced online safety protections.
Just as crucial is the introduction of civic education in schools, to equip young voters with the knowledge and confidence to make informed democratic choices.
Young people are already showing strong concern for pressing national and global issues, from climate change and education to fairness and opportunity.
If they are entrusted with the vote, they must also be empowered with the tools and policies to make that vote meaningful. Dr Nur Ayuni Mohd Isa, via email
‘Decades of over-18’s have given us today’s ‘broken Britain”says reader
In answer to the question of whether the voting age should be lowered or raised (MetroTalk, Mon), I would ask what could possibly be made worse by giving 16-year-olds the vote when decades of over-18s having the vote has given us today’s ‘broken Britain.’’ Samuel, Tooting
Is Labours plan ludicrous?
Labour’s plan to lower the voting age is ludicrous. They might as well lower the voting age to allow five-year-olds to vote – they probably know as much about politics as 16 and 17-year-olds. Alfie Mullin, West London
‘Vile attempt at election engineering’ says reader
I think what Labour has done is a vile attempt at election engineering, but at least Labour are using their majority to push through things that will benefit them. The Tories wasted a huge majority infighting, and ended up doing nothing – and for the simple reason that any proposed legislation that would benefit other people would not benefit them themselves. It’s a very sad indictment of politicians. Steven, via email
Is the right to vote truly valued?
You should never vote for any politician because of what he or she promises. You should only vote against a party’s past record or any policy which will make your life (or anybody else’s) worse.
Electioneering should be banned, too. There is no need for it because voters have plenty of information available to them by the time an election comes round.
And voting by 16/17-year-olds will have no worse effects than voting by adults who a) always vote the way their parents and grandparents did, b) actually believe the lies told by all the major parties or c) vote as they do for some other irrational reason. I would bring the voting age down to eleven!
The right to vote should be treated as valuable, but it is sheer arrogance for politicians to believe that they have an entitlement to our votes. David (aged 77), Southport
Are all adults sensible aged 21?
It’s been stated that Labour might have an extra 500,000 votes at the next election (Metro, Fri). I can’t see how this will be possible as I for one as a 70-plus won’t be voting. I’m not keen on being told what to do by someone just out of nappies!
The voting age should have been left at 21, when adults are more sensible. N Marsh, Birmingham
Do you aspire to be woke?
I find it very amusing that the new Superman film (amongst other things) is being criticised for being ‘woke’. Being ‘woke’ means being awake to the realities of society, aware of proven prejudices and fallacies, and able to understand the world more clearly and deeply. To be woke is to be knowledgeable and wise. I can’t be sure if I’m woke, but I certainly aspire to be. And yet this is supposed to be an insult? Are we still in high school?
It reminds me of right-wingers using ‘SJW’ as an insult. For anyone who doesn’t know, that stands for ‘Social Justice Warrior’. Because fighting for social justice is a bad thing, apparently. ‘I hate those guys – they’re campaigning for a better society!’ How disgraceful! Rob Slater, Norfolk
Reader predicts 16-17 year olds wont be voting in the next general election
Labour and Keir Starmer are clutching at straws if they think the 16/17-year-old generation will vote for them, Most are not interested in politics and they can see the hardship politicians are causing to our country.
People of this age are probably more likely to vote Lib Dems and are all about saving the planet. Even then, out of the suggested 500,000, many won’t vote at the next General Election. Gordon Harman, via email
Have we reduced individual autonomy for ‘likes and LOLs’?
People often complain that, thanks to the prevalence of CCTV, we live in a surveillance society, but the Coldplay kiss-cam drama proves there is no need to subscribe to any sinister state-conspiracy theory: this is something which we are actively doing to ourselves.
When ordinary people are out in public, no matter what it is that they are doing, they deserve to have the expectation of a certain degree of privacy. The lack of regulation of the internet and the wild west that social media has become has denied this to too many of us. The time has come to address the issue that photos or videos of anybody can seemingly be posted online at any time for the whole world to see.
If one thinks about it, the notion that we have no control over what shots of us are posted to the web is simply outrageous. While seeking the permission of everybody in images might be problematic, there needs to be an automatic presumption that anyone central to a shot has denied such unless it has been expressly given, and people need to be aware that they may be open to prosecution if they fail to respect that.
Each of us is capable of making mistakes or embarrassing blunders and we shouldn’t have to live in fear of images of those slip ups being broadcast around the globe. Once uploaded, these images are near-impossible to control or erase, which means they’re effectively out there forever. Even those who choose to live in the public eye have a right to lives of their own, but members of the general public haven’t opted for such exposure and so absolutely shouldn’t be subjected to it.
It is utterly selfish of anyone to snatch away an individual’s personal autonomy merely in order to satisfy their own craving for Likes and LOLs. As a species, I fear that we are in grave danger of becoming thoroughly obnoxious. Julian Self, Wolverton
Reader says ‘good riddance’ to those leaving due to new tax rules
I understand that many extremely rich individuals are leaving the UK due to uncertainty regarding new tax rules being introduced by the government. I think it’s absolutely fantastic that these greedy pigs are leaving us – good riddance to smelly rubbish, I say. Nick Smith, London
Does the UK have its priorities straight?
In this country it seems to be a more serious offence to drop a crisp packet on the pavement than to pump gallons of sewage water into a river or sea. I think somehow we have our priorities a bit askew, don’t you agree? Tom Farrar, London
