Less than a fifth of millennials would now vote Conservative

FEWER than one in five millennials supports the Conservative Party, with nearly half of Tory voters now over the age of 65, according to research recently released.

Just 16 per cent of under-35s said they would currently vote for the Tories, while the so-called “tipping point” – the age at which people are more likely to vote Conservative than Labour – has increased from 47 to 51 since the 2017 general election.

Meanwhile, just 17 per cent of Tory voters are under the age of 45 and only 4 per cent are under 25.

However, some three million voters under the age of 35 would consider voting Conservative in the future – but not if an election were called today.

The ability to appeal to younger voters is likely to be an important quality during the next Tory leadership battle, given Labour’s popularity with young voters. The research was undertaken by the Onward think tank, which has set out a 10-point plan for the centreright to win over younger voters.

The plan has been backed by leadership rivals Matt Hancock, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Penny Mordaunt, Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Liz Truss.

Mr Hancock, the Health Secretary, said: “I believe in my heart that the Conservatives can and should be a party for all – and that means all ages.

“But this research tells it to us clear and straight: we have to work harder to bring people with us as we work towards a positive, optimistic and outward-looking future for the UK. We need to be a party that isn’t just comfortable with modern Britain but champions modern Britain.”

Dominic Raab, the former Brexit secretary, said: “This polling sends a very clear message about the challenge for the Conservatives, but also the opportunity to broaden our appeal amongst young aspirational voters. It is absolutely crucial we grasp it.”

The report by Onward has also been backed by more than 40 “new generation” Conservative MPS.

Class and income have traditionally been seen as the most important political dividing lines in the UK, but at the 2017 general election, age was the most accurate predictor of how people would vote.