1.1.2 – A wider franchise
1.2.2 – Established parties
1.4 – Voter behaviour
Last week the Conservatives announced a pledge to cut student loan interest for graduates, in a clear attempt to court younger voters. The plan, announced by Kemi Badenoch, would see interest payments on student loans capped at the rate of inflation (as measured by the RPI), thereby scrapping the additional 3% levy that graduates pay at present.
The move by the Conservatives is a clear attempt to appeal to younger voters – a demographic that the Conservatives have struggled with in the past. In 2024, a YouGov exit poll estimated that the Conservatives polled at just 8% of 18-24 year olds and 14% of 25-49 year olds. With the franchise set be extended to include 16- and 17-year-olds ahead of the next general election, it is all the more important for the Conservatives to try to change their fortunes with this age group.
Appealing to a younger demographic could be seen as a change of tact by political parties, who are often accused of courting older voters at the expense of younger ones, especially given the difference in their propensity to vote. According to the British Election Survey, around 33% of 18-25 year olds did not vote in the 2024 General Election, compared to just 11% of people aged 66+. The change in voting patterns helps to explain why the triple lock of pensions is widely seen as untouchable, whilst tuition fees have risen to over £9,500 per year.
Appealing to the younger end of the franchise – including people who are still only at a stage of considering whether to go to university – could potentially help the Conservatives stave off the threat of Reform UK, who outperformed them with younger voters last time round. However, to do so would require reversing long-term patterns in voter behaviour.