It's not 16- and 17-year-olds who are immature and irresponsible – it's David Lidington

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Politically apathetic late teenagers wouldn't bother to vote anyway, so why not let those who really are engaged take a proper part in the democratic process? (Getty Images)

One wonders how many 16- and 17-year-olds David Lidington knows. His remarks about their maturity and responsibility seem very ill-judged. Children mature intellectually and socially at very different rates; but many 16-plus school pupils do take a lively interest in public affairs, and display a more sophisticated interest in politics than a significant proportion of mature voters.

Politically apathetic late teenagers wouldn’t bother to vote anyway, so why not let those who really are engaged take a proper part in the democratic process?

Gavin Turner
Norfolk

I see that David Lidington has stated that 16- and 17-year-olds lack the maturity and responsibility to vote.

In my experience over the past couple of years, I feel that most politicians lack the maturity or responsibility to run this country.

Robert Boston
Kent

If maturity and responsibility were pre-requirements for being gifted the right to vote, surely not only a significant number of MPs should be stripped of the privilege, but the outcome of the Brexit vote must be annulled immediately. Thank you, Mr Lidington, you have done the country a great favour. Don’t stop!

Alan Mackay
East Lothian

Parliament refurbished?

With sides ranged against each other along a narrow debating chamber, parliamentary debate is currently childish and unnecessarily antagonistic. The decision to refurbish the Palace of Westminster offered the opportunity for a complete redesign, but this doesn’t appear to be an option, so we are stuck with this unhelpful layout for a few more centuries.

Patrick Cosgrove
Shropshire

I suggest that we build a custom-made, state-of-the-art parliamentary city – a site in Warwickshire or Leicestershire, with good links to London. The House of Lords and Commons could become tourist attractions. Portcullis House could become apartments.

The surrounding government buildings could be reinvented as offices, or housing.

It would take pressure off housing and office space in London – and a lot less taxpayers’ money would be squandered on a vanity project.

I would really like to see a reasonable argument against this.

William Park
Address supplied

People should always come before profit

On Tuesday we were told that scientists (probably experts) warned that smoke from e-cigarettes damages DNA and can increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.

On Wednesday Liz Truss described startup businesses such as vape shops as the “modern pioneers of British freedom”.

So, in this brave new world the Tories are carving out for us, is vaping the next health catastrophe for which we shall have no nurses, doctors or beds – or is it an opportunity for “modern pioneers” to make a quick buck?

Beryl Wall
London W4

How to reject professionals from Scotland

We learn from next April, the SNP, backed by their fellow nationalists, the Greens, have determined that 45 per cent of those paying income tax in Scotland will pay more than anywhere else in the UK.

So therefore must we assume Nicola Sturgeon has given up any hope of attracting much-needed doctors, senior nurses and teachers from the most obvious recruiting grounds: England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Martin Redfern
Edinburgh