Bob's Board: Wooden Spoon - Viewing Profile - Bob's Board

As an idea, it's laughable that it's been rolled out at the eleventh hour as part of a general election campaign.

However, if it were to form part of a rejigged education syllabus with the specific aim of equipping young people with life skills and hopefully preventing them from going down a route that so many do, I'm not convinced it is a bad idea. It might not be a significant problem in your neighbourhood or mine, but in some areas home life and the education system is failing them. Teachers know it's a problem, so do youth workers, employers, the police and the probation service.

I think we're a long way from having a political party with the appetite to tackle the education system, employment, crime, and many other issues which are more than evident in society.

Would they pass for asylum? If not then they get sent somewhere else....of course we may need the extra labour to get the economy going and give us the growth we need to pay for the future...

As I said, I think giving structure and a sense of community to those who dont have it is a good thing. I dont think letting 16 years old vote is a good thing. Cant buy property (cant own property!), cant get married, encouraged to be in education or training... but can vote on the most serious matter that the company chooses..?

Where are Labour's policies? They arent going to raise taxes or NI according to Reeves, but we are going to have new teachers, new coppers, more hospital appointments... and a new deal for workers which at least one union thinks is full of holes, and most employers seem not to be enamoured of.... and what else?? Definitely going for the election on the basis of "we arent the Tories and the only one who can win"... the leaflet from my local Labour candidate actually says that! Lots of critique of the current lot, bog all about what they will do, just wish lists, and we are the only ones who can beat the Tories...

I think its an idea, and certainly better than giving the vote to 16 year olds. Where are Labour's ideas...? So far all I see is "we'll solve these complex problems by doing something pretty obvious that clearly others have tried before"

And I think encouraging youngsters to do something to give them a structure, an interest in the world they live in is a good thing. Its not just military service, you have read that havent you...?

And that is the problem of being in power, come up with a good idea and its why didnt they do it before, cant trust them to implement it.

Not defending one or the other just playing back what is said on here