Theresa May might be in store for a nasty surprise from young people in the UK. Huge numbers of them are registering to vote. If they actually cast their ballots, they could have a massive impact on the outcome of the general election.
In just three days, 103439 18-24-year-olds registered. And a further 99106 25-34-year-olds also signed up.
While young people engaging with democracy is a good thing, it is likely to be bad news for the tories. 71% of those under 25 who voted in the Brexit referendum opted to Remain. And according to Ipsos MORI, in the 2015 election those under 25 were much more likely to vote Labour. Also, there was almost an even split between people aged 25-44, with Labour just slightly ahead.
Furthermore, there are indications that young people back Jeremy Corbyn. But this shouldn’t be a surprise. Voters in this age group have lived with Conservative or coalition governments for most of their adult lives. And these governments have taken away their benefits, increased tuition fees, and destroyed their NHS. At the same time, young people have been priced out of the housing market and told they will likely work for longer than their parents for less pay. 38% of all zero hours contracts are held by those under 25.