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A Top Tory accused Labour of pulling off a "disgraceful con trick" on young people at the general election.

Liam Fox MP branded Labour "the party against young people" because he said they would leave them a "huge debt bill".

Labour's success with the under-25s caught the Tories on the back foot at the general election.

Already a theme at this year's conference is how the party can appeal to younger voters.

The secretary of state for international trade told a fringe meeting at the Tory Party conference: "They've painted themselves as the party of young people when in fact they are the most dangerous party to young people in this country.

(Image: Carl Court)

"They will spend vast amounts of money squander it and the only people who can possibly pick up the bill are the next generation and we failed to nail that one.

"One of the things that I hope we will do this week is unrelentingly point out that this is one of the most disgraceful con tricks that's ever been pushed by a major party because it would leave young people in tis country to carry a tax bill and a debt bill for the rest of their working lives.

"That is not being the party of young people, that's the party against young people."

A review of the general election campaign carried out by Sir Eric Pickles and published today addressed concerns about the swing in young people's votes towards Labour at the June poll.

The report calls for the creation of a "vibrant youth wing" in the Conservatives and says there must always be under-30 representation on the party board and on candidate selection panels.

Mr Fox, who would not be drawn on whether or not calling the June election was a mistake, warned his Conservative colleagues against looking inward saying: "I think that to say that we didn't get the majority we want therefore there must be something wrong with the Conservative Party per se might not be the best direction for us to focus our energies on."