Recently, a group of British teens crossed swords in the Houses of Parliament, in an energetic Oxbridge-style debate, on whether the UK should stay in the EU, organized by charity IDEA UK.
Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, hosted the debate at Westminster's Portcullis House.
"I find [it] strange [that] people under 18 cannot vote, since the outcome of the EU referendum will affect the lives of people who are 16 and 17 years old," she said. "And, if you are considered old enough to go to war or marry, I cannot see why you cannot vote on something so important."
Young Britons who took part in the event clashed over the same issues that so-called Remainers, like PM David Cameron, and Brexiteers, like former London mayor Boris Johnson, have been wrangling over for the last several months, but with much more grace and much less scaremongering and name-calling.
4 young #idebate outline their points on the issue of immigration surrounding the #EUref logical & respectful points pic.twitter.com/irb2qo8vqn
— Ahmed Al-aagam (@a_alaagam) June 21, 2016
Pro-Brexit youth underlined how leaving the Union would be a victory for democracy and a defeat for hypertrophic EU-led legislation, and that leaving the EU could allow the UK to "open up to the rest of the world."
Young Remainers underlined the economic benefits of the single market, the EU immigrants' contribution to Britain's GDP, and the unintended political fallout were the Brexiteers to triumph.
'Without migration public services would have to be cut even more!' #DisenfranchisedVoices #idebate #EUref pic.twitter.com/XGVJyS2ta0
— IDEA in the UK (@idebate_uk) June 21, 2016
'A migrant in the NHS is more likely to be helping you than taking your place in the queue' —#DisenfranchisedVoices pic.twitter.com/yRVuVpv7UE
— IDEA in the UK (@idebate_uk) June 21, 2016
"It would give power to people like Johnson, Gove and Farage in the UK, and to the far right throughout Europe. That's dangerous," said Sonya, a Remainer.
@idebate_uk @5050Parliament Sonya brought down the house with her passionate case for #VoteRemain!Go Sonya! #YoungPeopleCan #idebate #EUref
— Vote Remain (@UsaamaK) June 21, 2016
Another Remainer teenager pointed out how many Irish women have benefited from the EU's open cross-border movement to travel to the UK and get an abortion, an illegal medical process in Ireland.
The most ethical argument is to #remain — we are not at breaking point! #idebate #migration pic.twitter.com/8NcoJnQjpy
— IDEA in the UK (@idebate_uk) June 21, 2016
While none of the young debaters can vote in the historic UK referendum on Thursday, much has been said on how youth could help to close the generation gap between older-Brexiteers and young-Remainers by engaging more with parents and grandparents. A similar dynamic is thought to have played a large role in tipping the scales in last year's referendum on gay marriage in Ireland in which same-sex marriages were approved.
I am really amazing by the of the quality of #EUREF youth debate organised by @idebate_uk #idebate pic.twitter.com/zlE5PMMgOI
— Ahmed Al-aagam (@a_alaagam) June 21, 2016
Following the debates, some "grown-ups" attending the Westminster event might have changed their minds, after listening to the young debaters.
"I was leaning Leave, but some of the arguments I heard from the pro-stay, like those about equal pay and environmental protection, have sort of made me think twice," mother-of-two Martha told Sputnik after the debate. "I guess now I'm back on the fence. I could even vote for Remain."
"I was a Remain supporter, and I still am, but I'm just amazed at how these kids have shown how it's possible to take on serious, controversial issues in a civilized way," said 40-year-old Rajee, who is from south London. "If I think about the level of the actual debate, I feel like we've failed their generation."
