On 7th May 2015, around 3.3 million young people will have their first opportunity to vote in a British general election. Yet according to new research by YouGov for British Future, only 41% say they’ll definitely vote, meaning more than two million won’t turn up at the ballot box next in 2015. British Future’s report, Voice of a Generation: What do 2015′s first-time voters think?, casts a spotlight on this demographic.
The report asks who first-time voters – the 17-21 year olds who were too young to vote in 2010 but will be able to take part in 2015 – will vote for, and whether they will vote at all.
In so doing, we ask young voters whether they feel that political leaders understand the issues that matter most to them, whether they listen to young people and who they think would do the best job of running the country.
The results are often surprising, with the Lib Dems polling below UKIP and the Greens with first-time voters and Deputy PM Nick Clegg viewed as less suited to running the country than Russell Brand or Alan Sugar.
