Perhaps the great hope of Corbyn’s Labour is that when the next general election comes, whenever that is, comes that the party will be able to repeat the GE2017 feat and secure huge backing from the youth vote. It was this, of course, combined with a much reduced turnout by the over-65s, that resulted in Theresa May GE17 gamble failing and the Tories losing their majority.

Maybe young voters will central again but there’s some evidence now that support from the youngest age group is not quite as strong as it was. Indeed the trend seen in the chart above looks a tad worrying for LAB.

The chart is based on the proportion of those in the youngest age group in all the Opinium/Observer polls since the general election who faced with a best PM choice of May or Corbyn have chosen the latter.

Maybe his appeal is dropping off a bit because he’s getting old or because the views of him and top aide Seumus Milne on Brexit are somewhat different to what younger voters think.

Maybe, as well, this is simply because outside formal general election campaign period the opposition leader usually finds it harder to get his/her voice heard.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB



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