Yahoo – AFP,
Deborah COLE, June 9, 2017
 |
| One poll suggested 56 percent of under-35s voted in Britain's general election, with more than a third of those voting for the first time (AFP Photo/Ben STANSALL) |
London
(AFP) - A surge in youth turnout fuelled by last year's shock Brexit vote
played a pivotal role in stripping British Prime Minister Theresa May of her
parliamentary majority, observers said Friday.
An
energising campaign by Labour's firebrand leader Jeremy Corbyn and simmering
anger among many voters over uncertain plans to leave the European Union sent
young Britons streaming to the ballot box.
Corbyn, a
68-year-old staunch leftist, harnessed popular anti-establishment sentiment to
lead Labour to beat expectations and gain an estimated 29 seats in the House of
Commons.
After a
campaign marked by rallies that had the buoyant mood of music festivals, Corbyn
said his success was built on hope for change.
"Politics
isn't going back into the box where it was before," he told cheering
supporters.
"What's
happened is people have said they've had quite enough of austerity politics...
and not giving our young people a chance they deserve in our society."
Some 56
percent of under-35s voted, according to an exit poll for NME magazine, which
recently splashed Corbyn's face across its cover.
They showed
overwhelming support for Labour, at 60 percent, with 36 percent of them being
first-time voters, according to the survey among 1,354 voters.
Half cited Brexit as the "main factor" in their decision to cast a ballot.
 |
Jeremy
Corbyn's campaign drew comparisons with that of US Senator
Bernie Sanders'
presidential run last year (AFP Photo/JON SUPER)
|
Half cited Brexit as the "main factor" in their decision to cast a ballot.
While an
official breakdown of voting patterns was still outstanding, official data
showed a spike in both youth registrations ahead of the vote as well as turnout
in districts with large numbers of younger voters on election day.
By
contrast, only 45 percent of British voters aged 18 to 34 voted in 2015,
compared to 84 percent of over-55s, which the OECD has called the biggest gap
in the Western world.
A year
later, a failure to drum up the youth vote was blamed for turning the Brexit
referendum in Leave's favour.
"The
movement of Remainers and young voters towards Labour explains why the
Conservatives have lost their overall majority," political scientist John
Curtice of the University of Strathclyde said Friday.
Remainers
'revenge'
Commentators
said Corbyn had successfully presented himself as a true alternative to
politics-as-usual.
They
credited his idealism and folksy charisma, a savvy social media presence, and a
parade of celebrity supporters including singer Lily Allen and comic Ricky
Gervais with drumming up "Corbynmania" among the young.
He drew
comparisons with US leftist senator Bernie Sanders' ability to whip up youth
support in his ultimately unsuccessful presidential bid last year.
"Jeremy
Corbyn appeals to a generation of young people who feel they have never known
an honest, decent politician," wrote Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett in the
Guardian.
"Last
night's result shows youngsters have gained some revenge, with claims Theresa
May's 'hard Brexit' mandate has been destroyed," pro-Labour tabloid Daily
Mirror said.
 |
Labour
leader Jeremy Corbyn is credited with energising younger and first-time
voters
(AFP Photo/Isabel INFANTES)
|
The
Economist cited a deep generational schism in Britain pitting uncertain young
voters against baby boomers they accuse of selfishness and insincerity in
politics.
Corbyn
targeted specific youth issues in his campaign, including pledging to cut
university tuition fees, lower the voting age and improve the employment rights
of interns.
Failure
to engage
Many young
voters expressed surprise at their own ability to swing the election given that
most opinion polls predicted a decisive May victory.
"I
thought she was going to win it. I had heard a lot of people going for her, so
I was like, Labour aren't going to get in now, but I'm pleased because Labour
have a chance now," said Jemma Bell, 23, told AFP in Wakefield, northern
England.
"I
know a lot of people that didn't vote last year and I think now they've
realised that we could actually go to crap, in a sense, if they don't
vote," she added, referring to last June's Brexit referendum.
Gus McKay,
a 38-year-old Conservative voter at Euston station in central London, said he
was "frustrated" May had failed to connect with younger voters.
"She
didn't do enough to engage. Younger people want to engage more with their
politicians. It looks like Corbyn did a better job."
Winners and losers in the UK general election, including composition of the incoming parliament #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/5rZbiD1bBS— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 9, 2017
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