It's been unusually busy for a Friday, so sorry for the lack of bloggage.
But I couldn't go home without mentioning the superb speech made by one lad in the House of Commons today, I think his name was James Evans.
He was among hundreds of members of the UK Youth Parliament who invaded the Commons chamber to hold their annual meeting. They are the first non-MP group ever to hold a debate in there.
I do this from memory so it may not be spot on, but in arguing for the voting age to be lowered to 16 Mr Evans said...
"We can smoke with our MP, we can marry our MP, we can sleep with our MP.
"We can sign up to the armed forces, fight and die for our MP, but we cannot vote for our MP. It's an absolute disgrace."
I wasn't a fan of lowering the voting age, but I have to say his speech, and the attitudes and passion of the Youth Parliament generally has gone a long way to convincing me otherwise.
Shame on the Tory MPs who tried to scupper this event earlier this year.
Friday, 30 October 2009
At least the expenses scandal hasn't put everyone off politics...
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9 comments:
Seems sensible to me. Actually I bet you any money there was a lot more sense in there today that there normally is. And a bloody site less fiddling.
Did all the old ones all have yet another day off?
Perhaps the other arbitrary age limits are too low...
I agree with you Gareth, 18 years of age should be the minimum for the lot.
The minimum age to buy fags was raised to 18 last year .. .. .. how long ago was that speech written?
Thanks for the compliment, but just to confirm, I never said smoke with your MP - marry, sleep and have children with, in addition to signing up in preparation to fight and die for your MP.
BBC Parliament decided to cut half the debates, including this one which we voted as our campaign issue, so unfortunately I can't post it up just yet.
Sorry just to clarify that - marry, sleep and have children with, in addition to signing up in preparation to fight and die for your MP - is what I did say, smoking no.
My worry is what becomes of these kids - they don't stand a chance of being elected until they're thirty, the only way in is through the party ladder, by which time they will have been corrupted
The rest will realise that once 18 they no longer have a voice and become cynical
like me!
@James, thanks for dropping by and setting the record straight. That's the danger of quoting from memory I guess. A good speech none the less - it has certainly provoked a bit of debate too.
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