Without Representation?

Votes at 16 for the Welsh Assembly receives Royal Assent today. I used to be agnostic about this one. I am not now. 

"No taxation without representation" was the cry of slave-drivers, and they quite rightly recognised that it would work only if it were reversible. 

Since political discourse insists on defining "taxpayers" as "people who pay income tax", then that would disenfranchise 43 per cent of the adult population, and a rather higher proportion than that here along what used to be the Red Wall.

But it would presumably give the vote even to those very young children, such as child actors, who did indeed pay income tax. Votes for a handful of rich children, but not for the two out of five adults who did not even make £12,501 per year.

I will be standing for Parliament again here at North West Durham next time, so please give generously. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.