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AIBU?

To think the tide may be turning...

447 replies

Goldenhandshake · 24/04/2017 09:09

Apparently under twenty fives have been registering to vote in high numbers, assuming because lots of Tory policies have hit this age group negatively. AIBU to feel optimistic that they will turn out to vote and possibly prove the poll predictions wrong?

Any under 25's here who have registered with this intention?

OP posts:
alltouchedout · 24/04/2017 09:12

I really want you to be right but it would have to be just about every 18-25 year old in the UK and all of them would have to be voting for the candidate best placed to defeat the Tories. I don't see it.

Devorak · 24/04/2017 09:15

God, I hope not.

PNGirl · 24/04/2017 09:16

This election is a foregone conclusion.

DesignedForLife · 24/04/2017 09:17

I've read that, but the numbers were around 100,000 across the country. Great, but not necessarily enough to swing the vote in some areas.

Goldenhandshake · 24/04/2017 09:19

There is a month left to register, it will be interesting to see if this surge continues, and of course, what percentage of these new registrations actually turn out and vote.

OP posts:
PNGirl · 24/04/2017 09:23

Sorry, meant to add that the latest polling data has 44% voting Tory which has gone up since the last polls before the election was called.

It would be great to get under-25s more engaged for the future though!

rogueantimatter · 24/04/2017 09:31

I hope you're right. DH and I are going to keep an eye on the polls for our marginal constituency and vote tactically to get the current mp out. DS 18 doesn't like the idea of tactical voting so his vote might be 'wasted'.

DarkDarkNight · 24/04/2017 09:36

I would like to think so, but unfortunately I think not. I am scared of the prospect of a Conservative majority.

Cloudgaga · 24/04/2017 09:37

"God, I hope not."
Dev
Don't you like Democracy? Confused

strawberrygate · 24/04/2017 09:42

cloud she obviously wants a conservative win and is saying she hopes young people don't all vote labour; doesn't mean she doesn't like democracy. I'm confused how you don't understand such a simple concept?

Afreshstartplease · 24/04/2017 09:44

I'm not under 25

I'm 29

However this year is the first time I will vote. And I will vote labour.

EssentialHummus · 24/04/2017 09:45

Cynically, all I can think is that they should have bloody done it before Brexit. I'm also not sure who they'd vote for - IMO there's a real dearth of political leadership across the spectrum at the moment.

BarbarianMum · 24/04/2017 09:45

Whoever they vote for I do think it's important they vote. When they do, politicians will hopefully start considering all age groups properly when making policies.

JennyOnAPlate · 24/04/2017 09:48

I really hope you're right, but I don't think it will be enough.

So many people just don't care.

NoYouDontKnowItAll · 24/04/2017 09:48

Hopefully they'll bother voting after registration. Canvassing since the 80s has shown me that voter apathy especially among Labour voters has been really frustrating, there's way too many armchair socialists who just don't make the effort on the day. A common theme seems to be people don't vote because they don't think it'll make any difference but if everyone who said that went and voted it would make a huge difference. Compulsory voting would help Labour considerably

BenLinusatemyhomework · 24/04/2017 09:48

Well my husband (who is certainly not in that demographic), has never voted before but is adamant that he will be this time... and won't be voting Tory despite being a staunch Tory "supporter" for most of the years I've known him. I doubt he's the only one.

I don't know if enough people will turn out to make a difference to the end result but I think it's going to be less of a foregone conclusion than some seem to think.

Devorak · 24/04/2017 09:53

Of course I do.

I dread the thought of a Labour, Lib dem (or worse, coallition) government leading Brexit negotiations and to my mind, this is all that counts in this current GE.

I am worried about tactical voting, vote swapping and other legal but morally wrong (IMO) practices giving everyone something they don't want.

Similarly to every other voter, I hope the party I will be voting for wins. I also think there is incredible ignorance amongst some voters. A spectacular thread recently where the poster gleefully said how much they hated Tories but had done no research and listed off a list of Labour policies which were the driving force for her never ever considering voting conservative.

When I was an 18 year old, I may have been swung by the promise of more bank holidays and not had the intelligence of maturity to think about the repercussions of this and if was important. I may have voted for the party who promised to fund absolutely everything I'd ever wanted whereas now I wonder if they will be able to and see that the party promising to deliver a unicorn and a million pounds to every school child (alternatively, renationalising the NHS or democratise the internet).

I now look for not only promises but realistic promises and I don't think that I did when a first time voter.

imsodizzy · 24/04/2017 09:59

I'm under 25 and have registered to vote for the first time and will be voting Labour.

NoYouDontKnowItAll · 24/04/2017 10:00

Devorak you might not have looked at things realistically but you can't legislate that every other young person is the same, there's loads of politically aware and clued up teenagers these days compared to many adults who know nothing which is why I support votes for sixteen year olds

Ohb0llocks · 24/04/2017 10:02

I'm 25 and I've voted labour since I was 18. That won't be changing.

ShatnersWig · 24/04/2017 10:06

What we need is for everyone who is eligible to vote to bloody well vote regardless of their age BUT for them also to actually READ the manifestos, LISTEN to their local candidates, and make a judgement based on those. I do not understand why people of 29 are now saying "I'm going to vote for the first time" and have actively not voted in two previous general elections. In 2015, 34% of those registered to vote didn't bother, giving us a government elected by 24% of those who did. Even in some of those constituencies with huge majorities, there is almost always enough non-voters who could have changed the outcome.

mummytime · 24/04/2017 10:06

The under 25s I know (and that's a fair few) - are not going to be bought by bank holidays. They are mainly pro-europe, worried about the NHS, Education and Refugees (as in wanting to do more for them).

It does worry me how unpolitical students tend to be - and some are saying they can't campaign because it is "exam season".

But there could be quite a party of youngsters at the polling booth near my house on polling day.

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paddlingwhenishouldbeworking · 24/04/2017 10:07

This is the most difficult election decision.

Remember Labour were NOT the party of remainers...if they were we wouldn't be this mess.

I'm voted for all the parties at various points and for Labour in 2015 (on education and health grounds) and am a remainer, but think the Tories would now have the best chance of actually achieving Brexit with the least economic and civil disruption. Labour are not cohesive at all and with their internal shambles, I can't imagine their Brexit being anything other than utterly shambolic.

BUT I cannot forgive the Tories their car crash policies on health and education.

I posted the same a week ago, or whenever the election was announced and I am no nearer knowing what to do. I think this will be very hard to call until people are in the booth.

SuperBeagle · 24/04/2017 10:07

Many young people are conservative; they're just quieter about it because it's frowned upon.

IVFNewbie · 24/04/2017 10:11

Tory voter here, switching to Labour this time.

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