As per the analysis by a report from the centre-right thinktank Onward, the Conservative Party is facing an “existential” threat due to its failure to win over young voters. The report found that nearly two-thirds of millennials believe the Tories are dishonest, incompetent, and out of touch, with only 21% saying they would vote for the party if an election were held tomorrow. This antipathy towards the party is so strong that 62% of millennials surveyed said the Tories “deserve to lose the next election,” with 45% saying they plan to vote for Labour.
The UK’s Conservative Party is facing an “existential” threat due to its failure to attract young voters, As per the analysis by research by centre-right thinktank Onward. The study found that nearly two-thirds of millennials, defined as those aged 25 to 40, believed the Tories were dishonest, incompetent and out of touch. However, the report suggested that the party could attract younger voters by appealing to their support for lower taxes rather than wealth redistribution. A survey of 8,000 millennials commissioned by Onward found that only 21% would vote Conservative if an election were held tomorrow, with 62% believing the party “deserves to lose the next election”.
The report defines millennials as those aged 25 to 40 and identifies them as predominantly “shy capitalists” who support lower taxes over redistributing wealth. However, despite this preference for conservative economic policies, the report found that millennials are not becoming more right-wing as they age. They are failing to acquire many of the attributes that have traditionally moved voters rightwards, such as home ownership, secure and stable employment, and starting families.
Former Tory vice-chair Bim Afolami endorsed the report, saying that the millennial generation is not becoming more likely to vote Conservative as its members age, and the situation is worsening. He warned that this issue is existential for the Conservative Party, not just for votes at the next or subsequent elections.
The report also notes that millennials are the first demographic cohort not to become more right-wing as they age. This trend poses a significant challenge to the Conservative Party, as millennials make up about 26% of the adult population and are the largest cohort of any generation in about half of Britain’s 650 constituencies. However, turnout at elections is often higher among older age groups, which means that the Conservative Party’s problem with younger voters is getting worse.
Areas with high numbers of younger voters tend to be clustered in cities, but they also stretch to the periphery of them, such as Thurrock and Slough. The report warns that if the Conservative Party does not start to win over younger voters, it risks an electoral cliff edge, as it will eventually run out of road.
The report’s findings make sobering reading for party bosses before the expected general election next year. It highlights the urgent need for the Conservative Party to address the concerns of younger voters and find ways to appeal to them. Failure to do so could have dire consequences for the party’s future electoral prospects.
To put a stop to, the Conservative Party’s failure to win over young voters poses an “existential” challenge to the party, As per the analysis by a report from the centre-right thinktank Onward. The report found that nearly two-thirds of millennials believe the Tories are dishonest, incompetent, and out of touch, with only 21% saying they would vote for the party if an election were held tomorrow. The report warns that if the Conservative Party does not start to win over younger voters, it risks an electoral cliff edge, as it will eventually run out of road.
Photo Credit: pewresearch.org
