Too easily led
There's a good reason why under-18s can't serve on juries, can't get married (at least in England), and can't legally get tattooed or buy alcohol or cigarettes.
As smart and intelligent as they are, their minds, like their bodies, are still maturing.
1
They often lack the life experience to make important decisions and are more vulnerable to peer pressure or undue influence, not least from unregulated social media…and that's exactly why Work want to give 16 year olds the right to vote.
Party leaders believe that many will still have that idealism of youth before facing the harsh realities of life.
They would like nothing more than a large new group of British voters whose opinions are informed TikTok. (So btw China.)
Lord Keir Starmer says if 16 and 17 year olds can work, pay taxes and serve in the military, they should have a voice.
But that is deliberately misleading.
These calm young people generally do not have any decision-making roles and are not allowed to fight.
Giving the vote to 16-year-olds would be nothing more than a cynical attempt to rig future elections in favor of left-wing parties, as Labor MPs know only too well.
Force for the better
by RISHI Sunak planning to return National Service for 18 year olds is an inspired way to address both the woeful shortage of military personnel and the worrying economic inactivity among young people.
But it is much more than that.
As Minister of Veterans Johnny Mercer tells The Sun, the taste of military service can be attractive to many young people.
It can teach them valuable skills, discipline, personal resilience, camaraderie, teamwork and national pride.
Not to mention the much-needed innate cyber skills the younger generation can teach the military.
The non-military alternative – meaningful work for the common good – can be just as transformative and confidence-inspiring for young people.
With annoying predictability, Labor dismisses the idea as a gimmick.
But the next generation still has much to learn and offer.
A system that allows them to demonstrate their worth and find a place in the world is a great aspiration.
Real effort
AND speaking of ambitions…Premier League ace Raheem Sterling has achieved another fantastic goal.
The big-hearted Chelsea midfielder is once again funding out-of-pocket scholarships at elite universities for poorer black, African and Caribbean heritage students, to address the equality gap.
Raheem may have missed the match England euros team, but he has shown that he is still a class act.