How young people made voices heard at ballot box
Young people voted in bigger numbers on Thursday than for decades – with the turnout among 18 to 24-year-olds put at as high as 72 per cent.
At our Young Voters Big Questions event at Glasgow’s Drygate Brewery a week before the election, young people warned the politicians their votes could swing the result – and how right they were.
Having proved their power at the ballot box, we asked three of those who attended the hustings what they made of the huge turnout.
Lewis Moynihan, 18, a journalism student from Ayr, said: “The election result is testament to just how switched on our generation is.
“Ever since the first independence referendum, young people have been engaged with politics. I’m not obsessed with politics but I am interested in the future of this country, and so are the majority of my friends.
“Corbyn went out of his way to engage with young people on social media and on TV. The rest of the party leaders could learn a thing or two from him.”
Benjamin McGirr, 22, a student teacher from Paisley, added: “I was expecting a big turnout among young voters as the election has been the No1 topic among my friends on social media for the last few weeks.
“Distrust of the Tory establishment has encouraged more young people than usual to go out and use their vote, especially after they refused to address the 18 to 24s in their policies.”
Eilidh McAuley, 21, a journalism student from Stirling, said: “You just have to look at the passion shown by the young people at the Sunday Mail hustings to realise how engaged in politics the youth of today are.
“I’m not surprised there was such a big turnout – especially down south, where Jeremy Corbyn’s engagement with young people paid off.”