The Conservatives face an unenviable task of attracting the youth vote. With an education establishment pitted against them and spouting views contrary to Conservative ideals, as well as a lack of life experience among many young people, it is difficult to persuade today's youth to join the Conservative Party. Tories have earned a bad reputation among the youth of today because they often come to power when Labour has left the British economy in ruins. It does not help that our current Prime Minister dubbed them as 'the nasty party.'
In this political climate, there is another profound problem.
The UK is recovering from the worst recession since the Second World War. The opportunities for 'millennials' to achieve the same aspirations as their parents are few and far between. Many of them blame this on the Conservatives for increasing tuition fees and rising house prices that are making home ownership a pipe dream for many young people, particularly those in London.
Prior to the 2010 General Election, the Tories failed to achieve a majority because of their mixed message of austerity combined with creating a 'Big Society' (which has been quietly shelved). Is it any wonder many of them voted for Corbyn and his 'magic money tree' when they have endured seven years of cuts, many of which have been relatively mild and have not reduced the deficit?
What Margaret Thatcher did so well in the 1980s was make electors who would not normally consider voting Conservative believe they can achieve a decent standard of living by lending their votes to her. It was clear she had to make bold and unpopular decisions to tackle the Wilson/Callaghan government's mess, but as long as people were generally succeeding, it is no wonder Mrs Thatcher won majorities of 100+ in the 1980s.
There was the opportunity to convert your council house into an owned home, the chance to become a 'yuppie' (young urban professional), regardless of your background. With a booming financial sector, the possibilities were endless.
'Many of them believe communism is the anecdote to neo-liberalism.'
And twenty years after Thatcher's downfall, the Tories are having to clean up another fine Labour mess.
By the time Cameron achieved a majority in 2015, it was clear most voters understood austerity is necessary. But what is the point of it if the economy is not growing at the same time? People born in between 1981-1999, the Generation Y years, have not reached the same standard of living as their parents and grandparents in general. The free market has stopped working for everyone, which means the market is not free. There is so much this Government has done to improve the long-term future of our young people, but it is not enough until they realise they need to open up the free market to everyone, regardless of age.
Many young adults from Generation Y cannot remember the 1970s, but they voted for Corbyn.
They do not believe Britain can prosper outside the EU because they cannot recall a time the UK was not a member of the Common Market. And because of the 2008 Recession, they fail to believe the society Thatcher and her successors created brings them prosperity. Something needs to change, or this generation of renters will create a British Venezuela, because many of them believe communism is the modern anecdote to neo-liberalism.
