Starmer’s Britain: Old enough to drive a train, too young to buy fags

Reports say the minimum age to be a train driver is to be lowered from 20 to 18.

Although the job comes with great responsibility, my understanding is that trains are largely automated these days so there is relatively little to do, although I may be wrong!

Either way, if a 20-year-old can do the job I don't see why an 18-year-old can't do it too.

Nevertheless, it’s beyond bizarre that while young adults may be allowed to drive trains carrying hundreds of passengers, that same age group will soon be banned from legally purchasing tobacco.

Meanwhile, think of all the other things you can do at 18, or even 17.

At 17 you can drive a car and potentially kill someone, including yourself. You can also join the army, while at 18 you can purchase all sorts of age restricted items including alcohol, fireworks, axes, blades, and even crossbows!

But from January 1, 2027, the Government wants to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009, until not a single adult - young or old - will be allowed to buy cigarettes or even a celebratory cigar.

How does that make sense?

And it gets even more bizarre because the Government wants to give children (16 and 17-year-olds) the vote.

That seems ridiculous to me although, to be fair, a reader who lives on the Isle of Man wrote to me recently and said:

We gave 16-year-olds the vote well over a decade ago, and I'd have to say it's worked well. Good take-up, and some take such an interest and make such articulate, well-researched arguments that after one government minister and his advisors were torn apart by a group of sixth formers no others dare enter a secondary school outside of speech day.

Interesting. Nevertheless I still think voting should be restricted to adults.

But whether it’s 16 or 18, if you’re old enough to vote, drive a car (or a train!), purchase a crossbow, and join the army, you’re old enough to buy fags.