The young ones Rural Ramblings
We’re approaching another municipal election season. Elections have been rippling around the world for some time and to say that some have caused shocks could be regarded as somewhat of an understatement. NDP win in Alberta, Liberal win for Canadian Federal Government, Brexit, Trump for U.S. President, B.C NDP/Green (stable minority government), UK general election (perhaps unstable minority government), Macron for French President with less than a 50 per cent turn out thus far.
I have commented on all of these elections at one time or another and I think many, not all, are the result of I’m afraid to say incumbent administrations not listening, not being in touch with the people and from many that consider themselves to be elites spinning the same old stuff and expecting voters to go with it.
The latest UK general election provided a short, sharp shock. The written off Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, proved to be an adept and clever campaigner, something he has actually been for decades if one studied his form on the back benches, and came out with policies such as free university education and more that resonated with the voters. The result, a hung parliament. Prime Minister Theresa May is hanging on to power but she has been described by former Chancellor George Osbourne who methinks,” Loves her not,” as, “Dead woman walking.”
May’s campaign was in my view, not good. She came across as controlling, showed little personality or spark, unwilling to answer straight questions from journalists, refused to take part in TV debates and look at the result. I’ve seen similar campaigns from leaders that I will not mention here and the result has been worse. Is there no learning curve for them? Or does the bubble they seem to have inhabited not allow reality in?
One of the reasons for the UK election result could be something I have been banging on for years about. The young ones. There is anecdotal evidence that young people between 18-24 turned out in their hundreds of thousands to vote, boosting the turnout to just under 69 per cent, the highest since the late 1990s. I was always political engaged when I was in college, I read newspapers, watched the news. I voted, always.
Have the silent generations woken up and realised just how powerful their vote actually is? I hope so. The right to vote has been hard won. Use it as you wish. But use it. Politicians of all ilk will have to wake up and smell the coffee or they’ll be out of a job. Can politicians adapt and adopt to the world of the now news and reach the young voter? Some, I think, but not all. Time to change your ways or dust off the resume.