vInspired snapshot poll indicates number of young people intending to vote has doubled following Cabinet reshuffle
Following the Cabinet reshuffle, a snapshot poll shows a potential increase in the numbers of young people intending to vote at the next General Election. However, young people call for more ordinary representatives in politics and for politicians that listen to their needs as opposed to the same old ‘rich, old white men, in grey suits’.
vInspired’s ‘Swing The Vote’ campaign aims to give the nation’s youth a platform for sharing the issues that matter ahead of next year’s General Election.
This week’s Cabinet reshuffle has reignited young Brits’ interest in politics. Twenty-seven per cent of 16 to 25 year olds polled by charity vInspired this week claim they will turn up at the ballot box next year. Compared to Hansard figures released last year, which stated only 12% were planning to vote, this could indicate a potential increase in youth voting intention.
A further nineteen per cent claimed they were more interested in voting as a result of the high-profile re-shuffle.
The poll, by youth charity vInspired’s Swing the Vote campaign, reveals David Cameron’s decision to increase female representation within the Cabinet has proved particularly popular with the nation’s youth. Over two fifths (43%) claim they are happy about Nicky Morgan’s appointment as Education Minister because she is a woman, revealing young people want a more representative Cabinet.
However, despite this uplift in interest, there is still much work for political parties to do over the next ten months if they want to secure the youth vote. The research shows that a quarter (29%) of young people want more ordinary people in the Cabinet and nearly a fifth (17%) of young women say they would only be more likely to vote if there were more women in Parliament.
The research shows it is not just the people in power that are important, but also the way they listen and talk to young people. Over a quarter (27%) of young people are eager to see more policies relevant to young people and almost a quarter (25%) want to feel that politicians actually listen to them and their needs.
Moira Swinbank, vInspired Chief Executive said:
“These signs of an increase in intention to vote show that there is an appetite amongst young people to see a more modern and representative parliament. Young people make up 14% of the electorate, yet they increasingly feel unrepresented by politics and politicians, and so are turning away from the ballot box. This means they are often overlooked by the people in power who are making the policies that affect their lives.
“At vInspired, we know that young people are not apathetic about the world around them. Every day we see them making a difference to causes they care about by volunteering, launching online campaigns or running community projects. They want to play an active part in our society – and politicians need to do more to make political processes more open to them.”
vInspired is a national youth volunteering and social action charity. Its Swing The Vote campaign aims to ensure young people have a voice that is heard by politicians in the run up to the 2015 General Election. The campaign is calling for the nation’s youth to upload films, photos and social media posts, using the hashtag #swingthevote, explaining what would make them vote. Footage will then be compiled into a short film, which will show the collective voices of young Brits and depict what the Government needs to do in order to get their vote next May. TV presenter, Rick Edwards is the Creative Director on the film and other celebrities have submitted their own clips, including Paloma Faith, Pixie Lott, Neon Jungle and Ferne McCann. The film will be launched in mid September to coincide with party conference season.
For more information visit vinspired.com/swingthevote
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