The youth need to stop demonising older voters in the UK – soon they will find that they have no allies left

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Young voters protest outside Parliament over Brexit (Getty)

I’d ask Selena Drake (Voices, 16 January) to be a little more forgiving of the older generation in reference to Brexit, although I'm not sure of her “older” definition, given her leading statement that “of those who voted within the ages of 18-24, 75 per cent voted to remain in the EU”. (Well, yes, and that's great. I hope they continue to vote as younger voters have long been lacking.)

I’m 63. I voted to remain and know only of six friends (I'm sorry about them, but I have many more) who voted to leave. But so did their children and their friends. So I’m not happy about the generational labels that Selena Drake applies, although I understand that is how the media largely presents the outcome.

Other ways of looking at the voting data are available: regional differences are also striking.

However, it does no good to assign blame to voters. Blame belongs to the unbelievably poor quality of debate on all sides. That is what Selena Drake and today's 18 to 24-year-olds should rail against. I and many, many other people over 24 would be indebted to them for that.

Finally, I'd say to Selena Drake: of course Theresa May is part of the problem. Her party introduced an unnecessary referendum in the first place (purely for Conservative Party interests rather than the national interest) and her single issue as a minister has always been harsh limitations on immigration – something that Brexit gives her even more licence to pursue.

Beryl Wall
London W4

As someone nearing 60, I resent my generation being blamed for the Brexit vote by younger Remain voters, having voted remain, as did all my family & friends, irrespective of age.

During the Scottish independence referendum, prominent No campaigners promised Scots that we would only be guaranteed continued EU membership if we voted to remain in the U.K. We're still having a good laugh about that, but I'm blaming the dishonest politicians, not other voters.

Dianne Welsh
Midlothian

I am one of the older people of Selena Drake's article. The majority of my friends are also older people, and we did not vote to leave.

Please don't assume we are all the same just as I don't assume all young people, if not binge drinkers, are permanently tied to their phones. Divisions and stereotyping help no one. We have to stand together to turn away the barbarians at the door.

Helen Clark
Bristol

We should monitor the health of our politicians

Matthew Norman notes the unambiguous evidence of developing dementia in Reagan and Thatcher during their times in office. Conviction is not always a good sign, especially when it conflicts with reason and evidence.

It has been objectively established that cognitive decline begins in normal healthy humans in our twenties or thirties. Anyone who claims to be unaware of their own diminishing powers as they reach their fifties and sixties is, arguably, too far down the slope to recognise reality.

Regular cranial MRIs and psychometric testing ought to be compulsory for those in or aspiring to a political career. The influence of alcohol and drugs should also be evaluated. Within living memory there will have been political decisions adversely influenced by tertiary syphilis – is it safe now to consign this to the history books?

Yours in decline,

Steve Ford
​Haydon Bridge

Cut travel and save the environment

Logically, given that the most destructive, polluting, violent, quarrelsome and explosively exploding species on Earth are human beings, it would be infinitely better for the health of the planet if us humans became content to stay more or less where we are born, rather than rushing around the planet in ever-increasing forms of transport.

Much of this human movement is for pleasure and therefore comparatively inessential, and all of it produces damaging pollution to the environment which in turn harms our own health, kills thousands of people in travel accidents, and removes millions of square miles of the planet's natural habitat.

One small example is the slaughter of untold thousands of birds to prevent them damaging aircraft as reported around New York airports (The Independent, 16 January). And as for the miserable problems for commuters, why hasn't the amazing progress in communication systems led to a huge reduction in such travel by white-collar workers who could surely do much of their work at home or in shared rented offices nearby?

John Bryant
Tonbridge

The UK has bigger fish to fry than Brexit

The US has just sent more troops into Poland as a result of recent Russian actions. This marks a further deterioration in Western-Russian relations, which most likely will lead to eventual confrontation, probably becoming military, maybe indeed WW3 – as I have warning since 1991 in my lectures, books and letters.

To avoid this unpleasant future, the UK should stop being fixated by Brexit and start to play a moderating world role.

Dr Marek Laskiewicz
London W6