The UK Should Rejoin the EU and Give Young People a Vote on It
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ceira-sergeant. "My generation had no voice on Brexit – but Burnham gives the young fresh hope | Ceira Sergeant | The Guardian." August 17, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that because young people had no say in the 2016 Brexit vote but now bear all its consequences, the UK should work toward rejoining the EU and specifically give young people (including 16- and 17-year-olds) the right to vote on this decision. She points to lost opportunities, economic hardship, and personal stories of hardship as evidence that Brexit has hurt her generation, and calls on PM Andy Burnham to be bold in reversing course.
Conclusion
The UK government, under Andy Burnham, should pursue rejoining the EU and grant young people (including 16- and 17-year-olds) a vote on this decision.
Premises
- Young people, including the author, were too young to vote in the 2016 Brexit referendum yet must live with its consequences for the rest of their lives
- Brexit removed the automatic right to live, work, and study freely across 27 European countries, disproportionately harming working-class young people who lack the wealth to overcome new barriers
- Young people face a difficult economic future (unaffordable housing, stagnant wages, stagnant median income for 20 years) and Brexit's trade barriers with the UK's largest neighboring market have not helped this situation
- Real people have suffered concrete harms from Brexit, such as a British-German couple facing bureaucratic obstacles to live together and creative professionals losing access to European markets
- Young people today feel culturally and socially connected to Europeans, viewing them as friends and partners rather than being on 'the other side of a divide'
- Andy Burnham has a recorded history of supporting EU rejoining, making him a credible figure to act on this issue
- Denying young people a voice on decisions that shape their entire future breeds political disengagement and cynicism
Assumptions
- Rejoining the EU would primarily restore benefits (freedom of movement, economic opportunity) without significant new costs or complications
- The preferences of the author's generation are representative of young people as a whole
- 16- and 17-year-olds have sufficient political understanding to vote responsibly on complex issues like EU membership
- Political leaders can and should reverse major prior referendum decisions based on generational change in the electorate
- The economic difficulties young people face are meaningfully connected to Brexit rather than being primarily driven by other factors (e.g., housing policy, global economic trends)
- Public opinion among young people would favor rejoining if given the chance