Should politicians listen to young people? Last week we asked our readers to vote on which ideas they would like to see on party manifestos. There were some surprising results.
X
Next
Get involved: What YOU told us you want
Should politicians listen to young people? Last week we asked our readers to vote on which ideas they would like to see on party manifestos. There were some surprising results.
X
PreviousNext
Keir Starmer did not mince his words: "Yes, I want to see 16- and 17-year-olds voting."
In this respect Starmer is in tune with The Day's readers. When we asked which ideas you wanted politicians to pursue, lowering the voting age from 18 got the most votes.
Next came Universal Basic Income (UBI). This means that the state gives everyone enough money to live on without having to work.
Third was assisted dying. Fourth was degrowth: using less energy and other resources .
Two ideas tied for fifth place. One was a 15-hour working week. The other was a maximum voting age, so that older people can make way for those who own the future.
The question is how many of these are likely to become reality. For that to happen, they need the support both of politicians and older voters.
An opinion poll published on Monday shows that voters as a whole have very different priorities. Among the 17 most popular issues, lowering the voting age came right at the bottom.
Most of those against it were over 65. But even among 18-to-24-year-olds support was divided.
Should politicians listen to young people?
Yes! Young people have good ideas and they will also be more affected in the long run by the decisions being made today than older people will.
No! They are more than likely to change their minds as they get older and they may not be the most objective judges of what is good for us.
Get involved: What YOU told us you want
Youth appeal: Two issues popular with readers of The Day, assisted dying and the introduction of a Universal Basic Income, could soon become law.