Students could play a key role in next month’s general election, if new figures are to believed. Traditionally, students either haven't registered or haven't turned up. Labour is set for a key boost, however, as registration numbers soar.

93% of students who are eligible to vote have now registered. Labour is currently winning a majority of these students votes, according to a HEPI/YouthSpotlight poll of full time students.

The poll revealed Labour in the lead amongst full time students, on 55%. The Tories trail by 37 points, on 18%. Surprisingly, the Lib Dems are on 12% and the Greens are on 6%. The Lib Dems pro-EU stand plays well with the demographic, with students having voted overwhelmingly pro-Remain at the referendum. The Greens revealed a similar second referendum policy this week.

The latest national YouGov poll puts the Lib Dems at 11%, and the Greens at 2%. In that poll, Labour narrowed the gap to the Conservatives to 13 points hitting a recent high of 31% to the Tories 44%.

This represents a major boost for Corbyn, who has struggled across all age groups in recent months but has done best amongst younger voters- who are less likely to register. Student turnout at the last election was 69% amongst registered voters, and 87% at the EU referendum. National turnout was 66.1% and 72.2% respectively.

This Labour boost is despite students more than half of students believing that Labour wouldn’t follow through with promises to scrap tuition fees and re-introduce the maintenance grant.

Asked to pick their top three issues facing the country, two-thirds of students (66%) highlighted both the EU and the NHS, followed by education (30%), jobs (24%), the economy (22%), terrorism (17%), housing (16%), immigration (14%) and the environment (13%). Only 4% flagged up personal debt as an issue, even as tuition fees and student debt soars.

There was some good news for the Lib Dems, though, as almost three quarters of those likely to vote said Brexit will influence their decision, and almost a third said that they might vote tactically.

Where could this help Labour

Cambridge. Daniel Zeichner won the seat for Labour from the Lib Dems last time around, but hasn’t impressed locally. He has a 399 seat majority, so student votes could be crucial in the outcome of that race.

Bristol West. Thangam Debbonaire won the seat in 2015, after a Lib Dem collapse. With a 6,000 majority, she still has a tough fight retaining the seat if the current polls are to believed. The Lib Dem collapse in 2015 saw the party’s share of the vote drop by 30%, and the Greens are the closest opposition.

Sheffield Hallam. Nick Clegg was Lib Dem leader when his majority was squeezed to 2,000 in 2015. He’s very popular locally, but he was in 2015 as well. The national polls would suggest this looks like a Lib Dem hold, but a well organised Labour campaign could deliver.

Southampton Itchen. Royston Smith has proved to be a relatively unpopular MP since winning John Denham’s old seat in 2015. He endorsed Leave at the referendum, and was named the ‘least active’ MP by the Independent in 2015. With a 2,000 majority, and a lot of students, a well organised Labour campaign could go against the national swing.

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