The Youth Of Today

[ichkeria]

An interesting poll in today's Observer of first time voters in the 17-22 age bracket has the following results:
Labour 41%
Conservative 26
Green 19
Lib Dem 6
UKIP 3
SNP 2
Other 1
PC 0
BNP 0

48% think immigration is good for Britain versus 31 who don't
65% want to keep the HRA
65% want to keep the monarchy
59% think the govt is right to reduce the deficit by reducing spending

Farage is the least popular leader, with a minus 51% approval rating, followed by Clegg

Let's get these people out to the polls in May!!

[ichkeria]

Omitted to add:
67% want to stay in the EU versus 19% who would leave
62% think Europe is good for the UK v15% who think it is bad
Which is awfully interesting, because if you believe the Eurosceptics it is the youth of today who stand to lose most from the EU and immigration.
And although a majority think the Tories can be trusted with the economy,, the NHS is the priority issue, and we all know who comes out on top there in people's minds

[jim360]

Not surprised that UKIP appeals to older voters far more than to younger ones. Would be interested to see how the SNP are doing in Scotland's young voters.

[ToraToraTora]

It's well known that most students think they are socialist until they discover what it is.

[Svejk]

92% of them think the Sun & the Moon are the same thing.

[jno]

this correlates with the statistic* that most people on AB are over 60, moan about modern life all the time and want to vote Ukip.

*invented herewith

[ichkeria]

To the "young people today are all commies bla bla bla" brigade

"65% want to keep the monarchy
59% think the govt is right to reduce the deficit by reducing spending "

I won't ignore the "inconvenient facts" if you won't :-)

[Gromit]

This is a bad time to be 17-22. Job prospects are poor. The Apprenticeships are a bad joke.

Usually voters ask themselves " Am I better off than I was 5 years ago?" In the case of this age group, they will be asking themselve "Aremy prospects better than they were 5 years ago?" But the result is the same. If they cannot answer with a resounding "Yes", then they will vote against the present incumbants.

The poor showing for UKIP is not a surprise. Their appeal to the older generation is well known.

[Prudie]

They'll grow out of it, lots of us do.

[Gromit]

I cannot really think of any Government Policies that appeal to the youth?

Can anyone else think of any?

[New Judge]

Yes I think 3Ts has got it right.

Remember that 17-22 year olds have recently undergone 12 years or so of education, and many of them will have passed through the State system. Of course the teachers' unions (and by implication most of their members) believe that Mrs Thatcher was the Great Satan and are still giving the impression to their charges that for twelve years she arranged the systematic slaying of all the first-born children north of the Watford Gap. They also allow their pupils to believe that the Tories hate all poor people, would prefer they did not exist and that their policies towards the less well off are not dissimilar to those that Hitler held towards the Jews.

On a more practical note few 17-22 year olds are self-sufficient and none of them have ever lived as an adult under a Labour government. None of them have any inkling what it is like to be declared "well off" and are thus ripe to have your pips squeaked when in reality you are just about holding your head above water. Very few of them know what it's like to get out of bed before 6am each morning to go and earn a crust and pass by your neighbour's house whilst he's still in the land of nod having all his expenses met by the taxpayer. When they grow up they'll learn about these things the hard way.

The reason why they think that Europe, the HRA and immigration are all good is simply because they have never been told otherwise (see above for reasons why) and have not yet had a chance (or the inclination) to think it through for themselves. That also, of course, explains why UKIP holds no appeal to them.

I really cannot imagine why, despite all this, most of them would prefer to retain the monarchy.

Every generation elects a Labour government once in their lifetime. They always think "things can only get better" under such an administration. Unfortunately for the rest of us it means we have to suffer the results of their folly for a few years until they discover the error of their ways.

[ichkeria]

NJ I don't see why the fact that most young peoplep should want to keep the monarchy is necessarily a surprise.
And I will just repeat, yet again, that a majority think the Tories are best for the economy (well, they are callow youths after all :-) )
At the last election the figures for that age group who actually voted were Moore or less equally divided between Tory and Lib Dem with Labour trailing third.
And with ref to the TTT comment about 'student socialists' the poll does not to my knowledge tell us what percentage of they respondents were students or how they voted.
In any case whatever they reasons for people expressing an opinion I think the figure of 3% for UKIP is the I most heartening thing about it. Doesn't. Suggest that that party is he future of politics. They prefers the alternative politics of the Greens. And sends a warning signal to the other parties not to court reactionary political forces unduly.
I will be fascinated to seem how UKIP intend to address the matter of the youth vote eg on social media. Or maybe they'll hope most of them stay at home, which sadly usually seems to happen

[ichkeria]

'Remember 17-22 year olds have recently undergone 12 years or so of education' ...
Exactly: you should have stopped there. Perhaps no further explanation necessary

[Svejk]

///They prefers the alternative politics of the Greens///
Until they have to pay the leccy bill.

[BlackadderV]

If Nige gets the beers in the youth of today will flock to his cause.

[jim360]

I've passed through state education for most of the last 20 years and heard none of that, NJ. It's total nonsense that children are indoctrinated by the left. Never mind the point that most kids spend more time listening to their parents than their teachers. I get bored hearing this myth.

[Old_Geezer]

More reasons to despair of the human race and fall into a depression knowing that there is little to no hope for the lot of them. Ah well, won't be enduring that realisation for many more decades.

[Svejk]

ah jim, it's the subtle drip,drip,drip of left wing indoctrination. So subtle you don't even realise you've been subjected to it.

[jim360]

Bilge. But then I would say that, I suppose.

There's not really a point arguing with some people, and perhaps indeed some teachers do spread their politics. But the NUT isn't really representative of all teachers, so however left-wing it is doesn't really reflect the reality. Perhaps there's a level of right-wing indoctrination going on too...?

[modeller]

That's why Labour brought the voting age down from 21 to 18 in 1969.

What's the old saying " If you aren't a socialist at 18 you haven't a heart but if you are still a socialist at 21 , you haven't a head . "

It took me a bit longer I voted Labour until I was thirtyish. I even voted for
Tony Blair once. How's that for depravity ? I have no excuse !

[Svejk]

bilge,lol. You learnt that from mikey,,,,,,subconsciously. ;-/