Voting: 16-year-olds talk about lowering the voting age
In two years' time, five students that spoke to BBC News NI at Belfast High School in County Antrim will turn 16, meaning they'll be able to get a job, donate blood or even join the armed forces.By 2027, they might also be counted among the first 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland who could be able to vote.It's a prospect that excites some of them, like 14-year-old Bea, who said if young people are contributing to society they should get a say on who makes the rules."It would be amazing, 16-year-olds should have a say, especially if they are getting jobs."
There's already been a long-running grassroots campaign to change the law in Northern Ireland, but things ramped up a gear when Labour made a promise in last year's election manifesto to reduce the voting age from 18 to 16.The Northern Ireland Assembly has twice supported a motion calling for the change - first in 2012 and then again last year, but without the support of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).Without full-party agreement at Stormont it remains in the hands of the Labour government at Westminster, which is already playing catch-up with governments in Scotland and Wales, where 16-year-olds can already vote.In April, Secretary of State Hilary Benn said the government was "absolutely committed" to changing the law in Northern Ireland, but couldn't give a timeframe."It's just about getting legislative time in parliament - politics is about the future and if you can be a company director at the age of 16 I think you should be able to vote," he said.
'Feel like a minority'
That sentiment goes down well with fellow pupil, Freya.She said: "It does get annoying when governments can make laws and we don't have any say, if the government changes the minimum wage I don't want to be trying to get a job at 16 and being paid little. "They think it's okay because we're younger but it makes you feel like you're in a minority."
Alliance is among the parties at Stormont who want the voting age to be lowered.Assembly member Sian Mulholland said those against the move should realise that "the sky didn't fall in when they changed the law in Scotland"."It showed that young people were more likely to go on and vote in subsequent elections, it started and fostered a lifelong journey."But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)'s Deborah Erskine said there could be "unintended consequences" if the law is changed."I was always very politically in tune but my friends weren't when I was 16. Did I want to vote at 16? Probably not actually."This is not just about party political gain, we need to take a lot into consideration including schools in terms of the political nature and how that could manifest itself in debates."
Rory can understand the arguments against change, adding: "16-year-olds don't need any more pressure, they already have a lot going on."If pressure can be minimised a lot of us probably would want to vote even if we don't know much about politics."
Ethan feels lowering the voting age would mean schools could do more to engage with students about the basics of politics. "Schools set us up for life in a lot of aspects but the one it doesn't really is politics, they don't teach us that much about what voting is, I think this would encourage us as well to find out a bit more on our own."
Sai would like to see schools bringing in politicians more regularly to explain their policies, as he thinks sometimes parties take younger people for granted."Telling us what they're trying to achieve and what they stand for would make a big difference to us when we might be voting, whether that's at 16 or 18 or later."Northern Ireland's Chief Electoral Officer David Marshall said it could be a number of years before any changes take effect."This would be the biggest change in voter registration age laws since franchise was changed in 1969 from 21 to 18; there are substantial changes required," he said.He added that his office "stands ready" to support the government if it goes ahead to implement the policy.As for whether the students at Belfast High School stand ready to vote when they turn 16, their message to the politicians is: "Get it done."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Florian Wirtz transfer latest: Liverpool still £10m short of Bayer Leverkusen's asking price for Germany star as Bundesliga club hold out for British-record fee
Liverpool remain in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Florian Wirtz. Bayer want £120million and Liverpool are at £109m but Wirtz has made it clear he wants the move. The Germany star has been convinced by Arne Slot 's clear plan of where he will play in Liverpool's set-up as a No 10. Should the Reds accede to Bayer's demands, Wirtz would become the most expensive signing in British football, overtaking the £115m Chelsea paid Brighton for Moises Caicedo. Richard Hughes, Liverpool's Sporting Director, has proposed a package to his Leverkusen counterpart Simon Rolfes with easily attainable performance-related bonuses, such as Champions League qualification but the clubs are yet to agree a final fee. Talks will continue on Tuesday as the club attempt to find a middle ground. There is also a possibility that Bayer could bring a Liverpool player to Germany as part of the deal. Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah are both admired by Leverkusen, and either could be proposed as makeweight. Liverpool have already successfully conducted business with Bayer this summer, signing Jeremie Frimpong for £29.5m last week. Further talks are expected to take place this week with Bournemouth also for £40m-rated left-back Milos Kerkez. Hughes was Bournemouth's technical director at the time the south coast club snapped up the Hungary international from Dutch side AZ two years ago. Liverpool have yet to receive an approach from Everton for Ben Doak despite the winger being of interest to manager David Moyes. The former Celtic youth, who has been capped six times by Scotland at senior international level, spent the 2024-25 season out on loan at Middlesbrough. Doak impressed at the Riverside, producing seven assists and three goals in 24 Championship appearances.
Daily Mail
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Viktor Gyokeres has an incredible goal record and is a ready-made star, but Benjamin Sesko is proven in a major European league and has huge potential... so who should Arsenal sign this summer?
In an ideal world for Arsenal, Aston Villa would have beaten Man United on the final day of the season to edge Newcastle out of the picture in the race for the Champions League. There is no particular malice behind that thought, although a demoralising Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by the Magpies means Eddie Howe 's side aren't viewed particularly fondly by Gunners fans. But rather Toon striker Alexander Isak was viewed as a dream summer target for Mikel Arteta as he looks to reinforce his attacking options, yet given Champions League football will be returning to St James' Park, any move can now be ruled out. Nevertheless, it is still expected to be a big few months for Arsenal, boosted by a strong PSR position - and purse strings will be loosened as they try to strengthen across a variety of positions. There is no doubt that No 9 is the biggest priority though, with the lack of a quality option playing a big part in the third successive second place finish for Arteta's side as they drew 14 of their 38 Premier League games to finish 10 points adrift of Liverpool. Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko are the two main contenders, but Arsenal fans and those inside the club are torn on who would be the better option. Both Gyokeres and Sesko are top class strikers in their own right and each have plenty of positives - and impressive goal records - to boost their case to Arsenal's recruitment team. On the one hand, a move for Sesko would make sense given the Slovenian star has been a long-term target. The Gunners have previously done much of the groundwork on a potential deal, having been close to signing him last summer before the player became unsure over how much game time he would get. Sesko has since netted 26 goals for club and country this season and at 21, the striker, who turns 22 on Saturday, presents an ideal profile for future growth. A transfer to Arsenal also feels like the perfect next step for Sesko, who has carefully constructed his career to date. After moving to Red Bull Salzburg at 16, he initially impressed on loan at their sister club FC Liefering who play in the Austrian second tier. Two strong seasons saw him score 22 goals in 44 games when he then made the step up to Salzburg's first team to fill the void left by Erling Haaland's departure to Borussia Dortmund in 2020. Sesko thrived and in the summer of 2023 he had interest from several teams across Europe, before he ultimately chose to join RB Leipzig to stay within the Red Bull network. Sesko almost joined Arsenal last summer and the Gunners have done due diligence on him In Germany, Sesko has gained crucial experience in a major European league and performed well despite Leipzig enduring two difficult campaigns. In 2024-25 he netted 21 times in 45 games, even though Leipzig crashed out in the League Phase of the Champions League following seven defeats in eight games and finished seventh in the Bundesliga. Sesko's variety of goals are also an added positive for potential suitors, with the 21-year-old having netted just six times from the penalty spot this season. Sesko is strong with both feet and has scored multiple headers - and overall he has an impressive career record of 90 goals and 25 assists in 210 matches. His experience of the Champions League would also be useful to Arsenal, although he is yet to enjoy any real success in the competition. Across four seasons, Sesko has scored just six goals in 28 games. However, it must be noted that the 21-year-old has generally played for teams that have struggled in the Champions League and he did manage to net four times in eight matches this time around. But when Arsenal are weighing up whether or not to go for Sesko, who is valued at £92.5m, there are also several factors that may encourage them to go for Gyokeres. The Swedish forward has enjoyed an incredible two years at Sporting and he is widely expected to leave Portugal this summer. In fact, it is understood that Sporting are currently searching for a new striker to replace the former Brighton and Coventry frontman. The Portuguese side are demanding in excess of £70m, meaning the Swede's options are limited to a few clubs with the financial power and willingness to spend that on a player. But Arsenal are one such team, and new sporting director Andrea Berta is said to admire Gyokeres from his time working at Atletico Madrid. And you can see why, with Gyokeres possessing an superb record of 97 goals in 102 games since joining Sporting for a bargain £20.2m fee. A 2024-25 campaign that saw the Swede net 54 goals and add 13 assists in 52 games has meant Gyokeres' profile has risen exponentially, something that was particularly boosted by his Champions League form. On what was his first experience of the competition, Gyokeres scored six goals in eight games, included a superb hat-trick against Man City in November. His rise has been less serene than Sesko's, with the 26-year-old, whose birthday is next week, failing to make the grade at Brighton during a four-year spell that also saw him struggle on loan at Swansea. However, a flame was lit once he joined Coventry and 40 goals across two seasons as a permanent player earned Gyokeres a move to Sporting. Despite his incredible record, there are a few concerns surrounding Gyokeres, including the fact that he will be 27 at the start of next season, five years senior to Sesko. His struggles at Brighton, although they now seem irrelevant, do raise some questions given he has never played in a top five European league, something Sesko has done with the Bundesliga. Mail Sport has previously reported how this is a view echoed internally at Arsenal, with figures torn on whether the striker can hit the ground running in the Premier League. There is also the fact that 20 of his 54 goals this season were penalties, although given Gyokeres scored every spot kick, perhaps that is something to be viewed positively. He also struggled to assert himself during Sporting's 5-1 thrashing by Arsenal in the Champions League. Nevertheless, the Swede's international record is impressive, with Gyokeres having netted 15 times in 26 games in comparison to Sesko's 16 in 41 for Slovenia, although again the standard of their respective teams should be taken into account. Whatever they decide, it feels as if Arsenal will be getting a top quality striker this summer and one that they hope will take them to a trophy after more than five years. Both strikers have their qualities, with Gyokeres possessing an incredible goal record over the past two years. In fact, in 2024-25, the 26-year-old averaged a goal every 79 minutes and converted 56 per cent of his chances. This outperformed Sesko, whose goal-per-minute ratio is 156, while he has a conversation rate of 47.1 per cent. A caveat to that is the quality of their leagues and the fact Gyokeres had 3.9 shots per game compared to Sesko's 2.31. He also averaged 9.16 touches in the opposition box, almost three times that of the Slovenian's 3.29. Overall, it feels like although Sesko has a poorer goal record than his striking rival, the fact that he is proven in a major European league and on an upward curve is extremely appealing. Arsenal have also done plenty of due diligence on him as a target and they have been tracking the 21-year-old for a long-time. The Gunners have plenty of money to spend this summer and although Sesko is likely to be more expensive than Gyokeres, his physicality, age and potential mean Mail Sport favours him narrowly as the better option.
BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Warning over TikTok food sellers not listing allergens
TikTok users are selling food without listing allergen information, the BBC has on TikTok Shop show people selling snacks and sweets without highlighting they contain one of the 14 main allergens that UK businesses are legally required to the BBC brought these listings to TikTok's attention, it deleted them and said: "TikTok Shop is committed to providing a safe and trustworthy shopping experience."Simon Williams, chief executive of Anaphylaxis UK, warned allergy suffers: "If the ingredient and allergen information isn't there, don't buy it. You're putting your life in grave danger." "We have policies and processes in place with our sellers to ensure the safety of food and beverages sold on our platform and we will remove products that breach these policies," a TikTok spokesperson it is currently possible to sell food on TikTok Shop without providing any ingredient or allergy BBC found one seller, Mega Buy UK, selling a sweet treat related to the popular Netflix show Squid Game and listed the ingredients and allergens as "not applicable". Another UK-based seller called The Nashville Burger listed a burger-making kit that contained milk - one of the 14 allergens food businesses in the UK are required to declare on labels. It also contained wheat - which should be listed as an allergen under cereals containing on TikTok Shop, the allergen information was given as "spices" and the ingredient description simply said "flour".The BBC also found a seller called UK Snack Supply advertising lollipops and crisps with no ingredient or allergen has deleted the adverts the BBC highlighted, but all three companies are still on TikTok Shop selling other products without providing full allergen BBC has approached all of these sellers for comment but could not independently verify that the sellers were all listed in the allergy charities say regardless of where the firms are based more should be done to keep consumers safe. TikTok is a place where food trends go viral - from the pickle challenge which involved eating a hot pickle wrapped in a fruit roll-up - to Dubai chocolate which sparked a shopping while users consume the videos TikTok has also become a platform to buy and sell a bite of the Lancaster's two children both have milk allergies and she regularly posts advice on TikTok as The Dairy Free thinks TikTok has a responsibility to ensure all products sold on its shopping platform meet safety and labelling standards."It's completely unacceptable and really worrying. Failing to provide ingredient information is potentially very dangerous, and it feels like a complete disregard for the safety of those living with food allergies," she said. Tanya Ednan-Laperouse co-founded The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation in the name of her daughter who died after an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger said: "'TikTok is responsible for ensuring that all their UK food sellers meet legislative requirements to sell food products on their app. "Any that don't should be immediately removed from the app and investigated, but ideally this should not happen if their checks and balances are rigorous and in place."After her daughter's death, new safety rules, known as "Natasha's Law", were introduced which require full ingredient and allergen labelling on all food made on premises and pre-packed for direct sale. 'Putting people at risk' Kate believes TikTok is allowing sellers to "swerve" basic food labelling requirements as the app allows people not to list any ingredients at all and thinks the platform should penalise those who don't provide the correct information."Since Natasha's Law has come into effect I feel that, in general, allergy labelling has improved, but it's frightening that a huge platform like TikTok does not have adequate measures to ensure that labelling is in place," she said."The thought of someone with a food allergy, or an allergy parent, buying items that they assume are safe, when in fact they may not be, is really scary."Mr Williams from Anaphylaxis UK says the ultimate responsibility lies with the seller but does think TikTok could do more."At the moment it's being used as a platform to sell things that may not be safe. They [TikTok] do need to do more," he said, "There's a lot of people making a lot of money, great side hustle, but they're putting people at risk." Dr James Cooper, deputy director of food policy at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is responsible for food safety in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said: "Wherever people buy their food, it needs to be safe and what it says it is."Food businesses in the UK must be registered with their local authority and follow food law. All food businesses have a legal responsibility to sell safe food and provide allergen information."The FSA website says that if food is sold online or over the phone through "distance selling" then allergen information must be provided at two different stages in the order usually means providing allergy information in the online description and then also on the packaging so a buyer has two opportunities to check if their allergy could be triggered.
