Matthew Ellwood is a student of History and Politics, and Conservative Party member.
The Conservative party has been haemorrhaging the youth vote since the 2010 general election, at which David Cameron won 30 per cent of the youth vote.
Put mildly, this looks increasingly unlikely to happen at this election: recent YouGov poll found that only nine per cent of 18-24-year-olds plan to vote Conservative next month, and with 25-29-year-olds it is up just one point to ten per cent.
The lack of a youth vote is not sustainable for any political party. If the Conservative Party does not address its wholesale abandonment by younger generations, it could lead to irreparable, even terminal, electoral consequences.
However, there is a potential remedy: housing reform.
The crux of the housing crisis is that enough houses are just not being built. Local authorities seem intent on blocking houses, with some councils spending millions on legal advice for planning appeals which ultimately block new housing developments. There are just not enough houses being built, and in consequence England is the most difficult place to find housing in the developed world.
The UK has not exceeded 300,000 homes in a year since 1977, at the end of the post-war New Towns programme; the average house price was then £10,926. From 2021-2023 the figures for housebuilding lay at just under 235,000 a year; the average house price £288,000.
Experts agree that 300,000 homes being built each year would make inroads in the affordability of housing. However, soaring housing costs are further compounded by stagnant wages and stubborn interest rates, so even if a deposit is affordable, a mortgage is most likely out of reach.
Many young adults find themselves completely locked out of home ownership and stuck in a precarious cycle of trying to pay rent and save for a deposit at the same time.
The aspiration to own property is a principle and value deeply ingrained into conservatism. But this aspiration seems impossible for many young members of society, a generation burdened by student debt and high living costs. Many young adults admit they don’t think they will get onto the property ladder in the next 10-15 years.
For the Conservative Party, addressing this issue presents both a moral imperative to the younger generation and a political opportunity. By prioritising bold housing reform the party can demonstrate its unwavering commitment to the youth and their concerns.
One option would be expanding Right to Buy. Increasing the discounts that are offered to tenants would make home ownership more financially viable, especially for those on lower incomes, and alleviate the pressure on the private rental market.
This is a chance to open up some clear blue water with the Labour Party, historically hostile to this transformative scheme; Andy Burnham wants to suspend it in Greater Manchester, and Sir Keir Starmer’s ministers are not likely to support people exiting the state-dependent sector.
Yet while Right to Buy offers homeownership to many, it is important to recognise that this policy cannot alone address the crisis. Alongside efforts to empower homeownership, the Party must commit to social housing initiatives, ensuring that vulnerable households have access to safe and affordable accommodation.
Together, such a dual approach would promote social cohesion and foster a sense of inclusivity and fairness in society, reflecting core Conservative values of responsibility and community.
Moreover, streamlining planning regulations, and adopting a tougher stance on councils that actively block housing developments, is essential if ministers are to get more spades in the ground.
Accelerating the pace at which affordable homes are being built is essential: there is a chronic shortage of affordable homes, which is forcing people onto the social housing waiting lists and out of communities they have lived in for most of their adult lives.
However, at present there is pitiful progress on affordable housing construction: 63,605 affordable homes were built and completed in 2022-23, an increase on the previous year of just seven per cent.
Young voters are looking for material solutions that will directly benefit their lives and futures. A strategic focus on housing not only addresses a pressing societal issue, but can revitalise the party’s appeal to generations who have abandoned the Tories en masse.
Concrete, effective housing strategies could prove to be a pivotal move in reversing this potentially fatal trend of youth alienation from the Conservative Party and its policies – before it’s too late.
The post Matthew Ellwood: To win over young voters, build more social housing and revive Right to Buy appeared first on Conservative Home.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Matthew Ellwood
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, http://www.conservativehome.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.