If a 16 year old is old enough to pay tax in the U.K. Why are they not allowed to vote?

The Isle of Man now allows 16 year olds to vote, hopefully the rest of the UK will follow suit! May be 16 year olds shouldn't pay tax (through earnings or VAT, etc) until they reach 18? Age laws really do need to be sorted. 16 year olds can have sex, but can't watch porn (legally). They can get married with parents consent, but can't rent or buy a house, etc, etc.

EDIT: What makes me laugh is that some people on here claim that a 16 doesn't have the brains to vote correctly. Well if that is the case what do you say about the 28% of 18+'s in the UK who voted Blair in last time around?

Hi...I'm not from the UK but the US has a similar law also. My son has been employed and our government takes out the taxes each paycheck since they feel he owes them too but yet can't vote and he was 16 at the time. Why the government feels that one can work at the age of 15 but can't vote dumbfounds me. I guess since the legal age of adulthood to the government is 18 then one can't vote till they reach that age in life. I have seen more mature 15/16 year olds than 18 year olds figure that one out...lol Also I imagine that when one turns of legal age that the government feels that one has graduated out of high school and knows about the politics so by this time they know who to vote for. That's a joke! I know some adults that vote just to vote and not reading about the candidate who's running or what their views and ideals are. They don't care they just vote so they can say to another.."I voted did you?" So who's more responsible, a teen of 16 who is employed and possibly an intellect on politics or an adult who really doesn't care who becomes the next president or official of the state or country? Have a great day!

No, going to work and paying taxes is not an argument as to whether you are entitled to vote, are you saying then that a kid who is still at school at 17 should be able to vote then? most kids are nowadays If that's the case the kid of 10 or below has every right to a vote, well what does age matter if he or she is at school at 16 and the kid of say 10 is at school how are you going to discriminate against the kid of ten or below. Surly you can't use the answer maturity because that's the answer your arguing against. Another thing what about the kids who leave school at 16 without a job are they going to vote to. So what argument have you got with letting kids vote as soon as they go to secondary school then? Short answer No. ATB Red.

Most 16 year old's are still in education, bad luck the line has to be drawn somewhere, it happens to be 16.

You'll soon be old enough and after a few tries at voting and getting the opposite of what you want even when the 'winner' is the candidate you voted for, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

one has nothing to do with the other...........

that is just ignorant

well then if they are old enough to vote should they be required to defend their country.

why stop at 16 what about 9.

they are still a minor and under their parents authority

till they are 18, we have some very intelligent children coming up. let us hope they will step up to the plate and vote and participate when they are old enough.

you can own property or an auto till you are 18 either.

I thought income tax was paid on income. I assume you are asking about income tax, because sales tax is paid by everybody when they make a purchase. Do the brits have a tax on your age? 16 year old are not allowed to vote because it is the law. We used to have a poll tax in Alabama, but you still had to be of age to vote. We have child labor laws in USA so why arent you in school?

When your working you get payed and taxed like everyone else.... But i would not want any 16 year old who has just come out of school, finishes every sentence with "innit" and has no idea about politics or life in general to be voting for a political leader of my country.

Paying tax on what you earn to pay for things in your community like roads, police, etc etc has nothing to do with being old enough and a bit wiser to cast a vote which will effect the whole country..... they are not linked one little bit.

Definately they should be allowed to vote. But I have this feeling (I stand corrected) that a 16 year old cannot make a rational decision regarding the kind of peolpe to vote. Study has it that teens may clearly vote for issues as opposed to the individual. Try to imagine, voting for a HipHop star because they are famous or Barrack Obama because he speaks issues or President Bush for that matter? What do you think?

Theoretically at 16 you are still the responsibility of a parent or guardian. Paying taxes is just one way in which you can join into contributing to society. Voting is of course another, taking part in sexual relations and adding to it is a third.

Yet you still need the permission of a parent to get married and enter into binding or legal contracts. Also you cannot sign up or be conscripted to go to war.

I am all for the young taking part in political debate from an early age. I think this is very healthy and most people who are encouraged to tend to take their voting rights seriously in adult life by exercising their right to vote at the appropriate time.

I also feel that we all have to grow up and deal with the realities of life all to soon. If the price of being protected from making life changing commitments, i.e; marriage, mortgages, legal bonds and war, is staggered for 2 years it is not so terrible.

Taxes are an early introduction to this reality. It gives you longer to learn and experience the adult world before you are held solely accountable for your actions and the consequences of how the rest of society governs and acts.

If you are truly eager to take part and contribute to society there are alternative ways of taking part at this stage.

Hi Roo !Taxes do not go to government,and we do need to pay them but to vote you need to be more grown .16 year old can have sex it does not mean it is good for them!