Scotland’s mature teenagers make the case for all voting to start age 16

I went back to my old school last week, Nairn Academy, taking my family to my native Highlands for half-term. I learned two things: that the gorgeous northeast of Scotland is one of the best places in Europe to go with young kids, knocking the spots of any of the overseas venues where I stupidly tried to holiday before*.

The second, more important lesson is that the pupils of Nairn Academy are not just ferociously bright but thought-leaders to boot. A few months ago, they rejected independence in a referendum – and a survey out today shows that two-thirds of the 16- and 17-year olds able to vote in September intend to do likewise.

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Simon Cook

Pensioners have never had it so good

As I say in my Telegraph column today, it does actually matters what school pupils think. I was speaking to them about journalism and politics – and I avoiding speaking for or against the union.