Over-75s should not have the right to vote – Jamelia

VIEWERS LEFT FUMING BY POP STAR’S TV COMMENTS

JAMELIA has claimed over-75s should not have the right to vote – because they’ll be dead soon anyway.

The pop star, from the Midlands, made her controversial feelings known on the Channel 5 Jeremy Vine show.

Former Coventry Telegraph newspaper journalist Jeremy asked Jamelia to explain her stance. She told him: “I think it’s important not to get offended by what’s being said. It has nothing to do with... I think you’re capable of making a vote, I think you’re of sound mind. I just think it’s unfair you have a vote when you won’t experience the consequences of that vote.”

Speaking to a pensioner called Pat, she added: “And you’ve had 50-60 years of voting.”

Pat shot back: “That means people younger than me over the years also didn’t have the right to vote. Because older people years ago made the decision to do this, or do that, means I haven’t suffered from it or benefited from it. So why can I not with my conscience vote for what I believe in?”

Tweeting out the clip, host Jeremy Vine said: “A pensioner is told by Jamelia why there should be a cut-off age for voting – it would stop people above 75 voting because they will not live through the consequences of their decisions.”

Another guest said: “The benefit would be young people could stop blaming older people for the situation they’re in.”

They added: “I do think if we introduced this we would have to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote.”

When it was suggested this would be a “disaster”, it was then claimed: “I have two 16-year-olds and there is no way that is a disaster. They are fully aware of the world.”

But on Twitter, many accused Jamelia, 38, of ageism. One fumed: “How patronising and arrogant, not to mention ageist. If this was said about any other demographic there would be an outcry and rightly so.

“While I still have to pay tax even though I am retired after a full working life I am entitled to have my say.”

“Unbelievable comment!!” another wrote, before adding: “So we should now pick and choose who can vote depending on age... She ought to be utterly ashamed.”

Another chipped in with: “My father is 73, very active, walks and cycles daily 50-plus miles (sometimes 100!) and has contributed to this county through this taxes and National Insurance I cannot imagine him being denied a vote in two years’ time.”