There are more people who have not yet voted for the Conservative Party than could ever leave it for Ukip. My party needs to remember: all voters matter, not just those Tories being wooed by Nigel Farage. The real prize is not stopping voters defecting to Ukip – it is making the Conservative Party the natural home for the next generation.
In Britain today we have a dwindling generation of older people who use their vote, and a growing camp of younger people who don’t. Does that mean we shouldn’t bother with the young? Absolutely not. It would be wrong to ignore this phenomenon. Politicians need to meet it head on, and quickly.
Most of today’s 18-24 year olds are not voting. Only 44 per cent turned out in 2010 and, since then, at worst, double that percentage said that they don’t plan to vote. And Britain’s problem is worse than elsewhere in Europe and the US.
Could the problem solve itself? Today’s young people could naturally bounce into voting when they’re a bit older, but I don’t believe that they will. Three things have changed: This generation reports less interest in traditional politics, they feel less affiliation with parties, and they don’t feel that voting is a civic duty.
Today’s 18-24 year olds won’t ‘settle down’ to voting or party membership once they get married and get a mortgage. Indeed, if you were banking on that happening you’d be waiting a long time.
The Baby Boomers form today’s largest cohort, but by General Election 2025 Generation Y (and younger) will form a sizeable proportion of those eligible to vote – and they may simply not bother. Who’ll vote then? As a young William Hague once said: ‘It’s alright for some of you, you won’t be here in thirty or forty years’ time!’
2015’s first time voters have an aversion to formal politics – but they are interested in political affairs, in new techniques and in community projects. They do things other than just vote. They are searching for confidence in what politics is for. We have an opportunity to avert large-scale disillusionment with traditional party politics by making the Conservative party the home for Generation Y.
We know that this generation looks to itself to take action, and looks to businesses, charities and action groups to achieve things. But younger people believe that actions taken by the state come a long way down the list, according to research by Demos.
We also know that today’s youngest generation has the lowest support for high welfare spending. Generation Y is entrepreneurial – it has strong interest in setting up businesses. And whilst you might expect a clash of generations at a time of scarce resources, there’s been a lack of strife that reflects strong family values across the generations. Welfare reform, enterprise and family: these are Conservative values.
The polls show the opportunity. Ipsos MORI’s Generation Strains polling shows that Generation Y’s support for the Conservatives has doubled since 2005. Although our party still lags Labour in this age group, Labour support has plateaued and Lib Dem support has crashed.
Will Ukip take the opportunity instead of the Conservatives? The Spectator and the Evening Standard investigated the party’s 2000-strong youth wing during the Euro elections, and were at pains to show how ‘normal’ it is. But despite its normality, the party is putting people off. Lord Ashcroft’s polling carried out at the same time showed that people aged 18-34 were moving from Ukip in greater numbers than they were from any other party. The founder of the Ukip youth wing describes his motivation to turn purple, and it echoes the rest of Generation Y’s cries: ‘I felt national politics was a bit stale.’ He’s right, according to the arresting videos and polling on Sky News’ excellent Stand Up Be Counted platform, launched last week: young people don’t feel listened to – and alarmingly, many said that they don’t try to make themselves heard. These are top words that today’s 16-24 year olds told Sky that they think of when they consider politics: boring, lies, complicated, confusion, corrupt, money, bullshit.
It’s this damning verdict on politics from the next generation of voters that should worry us. We have every opportunity to welcome them to the Conservatives and change the country together. Our record starts with fixing the economy for their future; the man with a pint and a purple rosette can’t say the same.
Chloe Smith is the Conservative MP for Norwich North
Comments