Minimum Age For Marriage Raised To 18

[tiggerblue10]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-61228240

I think this is good news but will it stop those from certain communities dragging under age girls to countries like Pakistan or India for arranged marriages?

[barry1010]

Good news for Gretna Green?

[ToraToraTora]

good news

[maggiebee]

Yes barry, maybe beating a trail to Gretna once more.

[DTCwordfan]

Apparently Pakistan and India will be opening consulate offices there. I'm going to buy shares in the Gretna Tandoori restaurant.

[jourdain2]

Yes, it is good news.
No, it won't stop those communities from shipping girls out to Pakistan (usually Pakistan in my experience).
The interesting point is if it will deter 'Mosque Weddings' here - and any other ritual weddings of under-age participants. I don't know about them, I do know about the Mosque-weddings.
These can take place under our legal age and those concerned insist that it is just a ritual - a 'promising'. That is bad enough, given the pressure from the community to conform.
I have good grounds, however, for doubting the 'simple ritual' explanation.
This is where cultures clash and have done in our country for many years. So far blindfolds have been worn by officials. Will this rule make them take them off? We shall see. I'm not convinced - although I would love, dearly love to see the underaged protected.

[naomi24]

Absolutely right, jourdain and we’ll said. I can’t add to that except to say that whoever thinks this will change cultural norms doesn’t understand those norms.

[naomi24]

*well not we’ll.

[tomus42]

Raising the legal marriage age will result in an overnight increase in the number of under age girls, so I guess the answer is no.

[Mozz71]

Why would it Tomus? It's the age for marriage changing, not the age of consent.

[jenifferjerry]

Yes, I support it.

[Deskdiary]

Hopefully it will put to bed the whiny argument often trotted out by those who support votes for 16 year olds “if you can get married at 16 you should be able to vote”.

This is good news. 16 year olds do not possess the maturity* to make a decision to marry.

* Generally speaking before somebody pops up and says “my nephew is 16 and is mature” or similar.

[1ozzy]

Let those that are under 18 bonk on, but not commit.
Hmm,

[Hopkirk]

18 is still too young.

[Hopkirk]

Marry in haste,
Repent at leisure.

[youngmafbog]

Jourdain has summed it up really well. BA right there.

Not much more can be added to that.

[Gromit]

This brings us into line with the rest of Europe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriageable_age#Europe

[youngmafbog]

Whats that got to do with it Gromit?

Does it bring us into line with the rest of the World?

[10ClarionSt]

I knew a boy and girl who were 17 & 16 respectively, married in 1977. They are still together and have grandchildren.

[Gromit]

// In recent years, many countries in the EU have tightened their marriage laws, either banning marriage under 18 completely, or requiring judicial approval for such marriages. Countries which have reformed their marriage laws in recent years include Sweden (2014), Denmark (2017), Germany (2017), Luxembourg (2014), Spain (2015), Netherlands (2015), Finland (2019) and Ireland (2019). //

We are on catch up.

[youngmafbog]

Again, why are you quoting what the EU do?

We left them, we do assess and do things in our own time now. There is no competition plus we can look to the much wider world now.