Ministers call for Conservatives to woo young before it’s too late

POTENTIAL candidates to succeed Theresa May stressed their desire to win over young voters yesterday after a study showed voters do not switch to the Tories until the age of 51.

international Development secretary Penny Mordaunt said the party needed to ‘act swiftly’ to win over the younger generations who were turning away from the centre-Right in ‘unprecedented’ numbers.

Matt Hancock, the Health secretary, also called on the Conservatives to change their ‘tone’ towards modern Britain or face Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister.

They will both speak alongside environment secretary Michael Gove at the launch of a report setting out proposals aimed at appealing to younger voters.

The Generation Why? report by centre-Right think-tank Onward found that every generation and ethnic group, including Remain supporters, back curbs on immigration.

The policy is supported by 38 per cent of 18-24 year-olds, 68 per cent of over-65s, 40 per cent of Asian voters, 45 per cent of Black voters and 40 per cent of Remain voters.

Only 16 per cent of under-35s said they would currently vote for the Conservatives. Just 17 per cent of Tory voters are aged under 45, and only 4 per cent are under 25.

The age at which people become more likely to vote Conservative than Labour is now 51, up from 47 at the 2017 election and 34 before that.

Onward’s director Will Tanner, a former aide to Mrs May, said: ‘everyone is focusing on Brexit, but the growing age gap in vote intention is a bigger threat to the Conservative Party’s future.’

The think-tank set out a series of policies aimed at rejuvenating the centre-Right, including low taxes, controlling immigration and protecting the environment.