The term “youthquake” was first introduced after the 2017 snap election, following the surprising news that the conservative party had lost their majority (The Guardian, 2017). “Youthquake” describes the impact young people are making on the outcome of political happenings like general elections, Brexit etc. Labour were fast gaining seats and support, and their support mainly came from one demographic that has long been overlooked and underestimated in their ability to make to change – the young people of Britain. The number of 18-24 year old voters are up drastically, compared to the 2015 election, according to some statistics – the highest youth turnout in 25 years (Ipsos MORI 2018). In fact, 18-24 year olds made up 10% of all voters in the snap election, as opposed to those 65 and over making up around 23% of voters.

The shift in labours popularity came as a shock to the public and the parties themselves, as so many had expected an easy conservative lead among voters, especially in the wake of the results of the 2015 election. People had come to expect young voters to be apathetic to the politics that influence their everyday lives and experiences, especially considering the lull that has occurred in youth voting in the previous couple of decades; however it appears this might be changing. Despite being suggested that young voters are not interested in politics, it is actually quite the opposite (Henn and Foard, 2014). Instead, maybe we should be looking at the political alienation young people feel from never being seen or heard? (Johnson and Marshall, 2004). Their interests, ideas and opinions consistently valued less than their older counterparts, it is easy to see why some people may become disinterested in politics if their voice are never heard. However, this seems to have changed, especially in regards to the 2017 election.

It seems as though a fire has been lit beneath the youth of this country, and something drastic has changed about the nature of politics. The information needed for young people to make an informed choice is easier to access than ever, and is available on platforms that are youth-friendly. Social media has become the best friend of many politicians looking to impress the youth with how much they care and concurrently making politics more accessible (Keating and Melis, 2017). Just one quick glance over popular social media websites and apps shows statuses, tweets, news articles, memes etc. showcasing, in a very public way, people’s political opinions and affiliations. On top of this, young people are much more likely to take to the streets in protest of their beliefs, or take part in demonstrations (Sloam, 2015). No longer silent or disinterested, we are here and we are ready and willing to make a difference.

Fig. 1 Graph representing voter demographic changes by age since 2015 election, provided by Ipsos MORI.

Finally, it appears the modern youth of Britain are taking a stand and voting with their own intuition and in their own interest. Although this has been disputed by the BES (the British Election Study) who referenced the “youthquake” as a ‘myth’ in January 2018, it’s a difficult thing to deny that something is changing in regards to young people and their attitude towards political involvement. While Fig. 1 does seem to suggest that there was actually less of a youth voter turnout than the previous election, it begs the question: does the “youthquake” only relate to voting demographics? Or does it apply to the political movement that is currently taking place amongst the youth of Britain? People of younger and younger ages are starting to take an interest in politics; seen most recently in a video of school children marching in cities all across the UK, chanting “F*** Theresa May” while calling for action on climate change.

Fig. 2 Graph, provided by British Election Study (2018), showing correlation between age and turnout in 2015 election versus 2017 election.

It could be argued that this surge in interest from young people is the result of the work of none other than Jeremy Corbyn and his youth-focused grass roots campaign of 2017. Labour’s handling of the youth online has proved to be an excellent tool to have in their possession, one which has left the Conservatives in the dust when it comes to approval from youth voters. David Cameron’s former press advisor, Giles Kenningham, even praised Labour’s campaign and social media presence as “very polished”, while branding the Conservative parties attempts as unprepared. It appears that young people are enamoured with Corbyn’s quirky approach to politics; examples include the cries of “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn!” echoing around Glastonbury Festival 2017, notably during grime artist Stormzy’s set (which he eventually joined in on). Additionally, videos of Jeremy Corbyn engaging in ‘relatable’ activities means that he speaks to the youth on a level that no other candidate can; why wouldn’t we turn out to vote for a man who is willing to look on the lighter side of life sometimes? A man who not only appears to represent our interests, but also shares our generations ability to not take ourselves too seriously all the time?

The “youthquake”, is well and truly underway. A change is coming, and everyone better get ready.

 

 

 

 

References:

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British Election Study Team (2018). The myth of the 2017 youthquake election – The British Election Study. [online] Available at: https://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-impact/the-myth-of-the-2017-youthquake-election/#.XGwzxy2cZhE [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].

Dugmore, O. (2019). Tories confirm contempt of young people with response to climate change protests | JOE.co.uk. [online] JOE.co.uk. Available at: https://www.joe.co.uk/politics/tories-climate-change-protest-219964 [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].

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Ipsos Mori (2017) “How the voters voted in the 2017 General Election” [Online] Available at: https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/2017-06/how-britain-voted-in-the-2017-election_2.pdf [Accessed: 19 Feb. 2019].

Keating, A & Melis, G (2017) “Social media and youth political engagement: Preaching to the converted or providing a new voice for youth?” The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, [Online] Vol. 19 No. 4, P.877 -899. Available at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1369148117718461 [Accessed: 19 Feb. 2019]

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N. A. (2018). Yes, there was a “youthquake” in the 2017 snap election – and it mattered. [online] Newstatesman.com. Available at: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2018/02/yes-there-was-youthquake-2017-snap-election-and-it-mattered [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].

N. A. (2017). Youth turnout at general election highest in 25 years, data show | Financial Times. [online] Ft.com. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/6734cdde-550b-11e7-9fed-c19e2700005f [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].

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