In the last general election, Brexit loomed large. Both the main parties were perceived to offer radical platforms, led by Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, and the SNP carried Scotland.
Yet barely half of young people aged between18-24 voted in 2019, whereas more than 80% of over-75s did. Why is there such disconnect, and what does this mean for the 2024 election?
Influencer GK Barry hosts The Turnout podcast in which she interviews political figures and simplifies politics for a younger audience.
In an interview with Grazia UK, she said “Having grown up seeing so many years of political confusion, failed promises, and being bombarded with political figures we can’t trust, it’s little wonder that so many young people have found themselves completely disengaged with politics.”
In the battle for votes, the parties have been drawn deeper into social media, like TikTok, but young people are savvy and social media does not have a great reputation for providing unbiased knowledge as we grapple with misinformation.
Despite this it is important to look at what the parties are saying. After a torrid five years of the pandemic, cost-of-living crisis and political turmoil, each party vies to be seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’ or to promise ‘stable government’.
What is the appeal to young people? There is a danger that all politicians are seen as “more of the same”, and young people simply not voting in enough numbers now and younger people who don’t see politics as relevant.
It could be argued that Conservative policies are “about” rather than “for” or even “wanted” by young people. From education and “Mickey Mouse” university courses to National Service, their policies are designed to appeal to the older generation, with little engagement or support from young people themselves.
This is exacerbated by the party’s contrary views on the big issues like Climate Change, leading its former Minister for climate change to leave the party and recommend people vote for Labour.
The Labour Party has pledged to invest in a new Young Futures programme; a network of hubs, will “support young people’s mental health and avoid them being drawn into crime and violence. As they look to secure a higher share of the 18-24 votes, there’s a pledge to go further and extend the votes to 16 and 17 year olds in future elections.
The Liberal Democrats have followed a similar path with their commitment to increase funding on youth services that are “genuinely engaging and reach more young people”, and plan to appoint a cabinet minister for children and young people. Like Labour, they would introduce votes at 16.
With voter ID and registration skewed against young people and the election called when a large number are between university and home, the parties have to work harder to secure their votes.
However, it is not just young people of voting age. With a week to go until election-day the fact that the political parties aren’t focusing their politics on young people makes it even easier to be disengaged.
Let’s not forget that 13-14-year-olds today will vote in the next general election in a 5-year Parliament, shaping their views now. Our parents and carers and grandparents also want the best for us, and their votes count even if young people can’t (or don’t) vote themselves.
Most critically, unless parties and government engage with young people represented at all levels of decision-making the democratic deficit will become a chasm.
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