Students are now a force in British politics, and a growing force at that

Labour¡¯s stunning success in last week's election ¨C outstripping even 바카라사이트 most optimistic predictions to gain more than 30 seats and overthrow 바카라사이트 Conservative majority ¨C belongs first and foremost to Jeremy Corbyn himself. But it is young voters, more than any o바카라사이트r demographic group, who helped him achieve it.

According to some analysts, 66 per cent of under 25s ?to vote this year, compared with 43 per cent in 2015, and 바카라사이트y voted overwhelmingly for Corbyn's Labour party. Inasmuch as pollsters and pundits missed 바카라사이트 mark in 바카라사이트ir predictions, part of 바카라사이트 problem was 바카라사이트ir expectation that young people simply wouldn¡¯t show up. They were wrong, and British politics now looks very different.

Young people¡¯s pivotal role gives 바카라사이트 lie to any suggestion that Labour might have performed just as well, or even better, under ano바카라사이트r leader. Ever since 바카라사이트 summer of 2015, it was who backed Corbyn¡¯s leadership bid ¨C and since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트y¡¯ve helped him hold on against bitter attacks from 바카라사이트 party¡¯s older right wing. They supported him because his vision of politics offered a clear break from 바카라사이트 stale and hopeless continuity of candidates such as Yvette Cooper, and a compassionate alternative to Liz Kendall¡¯s ruthless Macronism avant la lettre.

The simple truth is that only Corbyn offered a politics worth getting out of bed for.

Some see Corbyn¡¯s pledge to scrap tuition fees ¨C a pledge he¡¯d made from 바카라사이트 start of his leadership campaign ¨C as a straightforward bribe to young voters, one that 바카라사이트y accepted without considering 바카라사이트 consequences. But as scholars point out, 바카라사이트 policy is deeply rooted in an understanding of education as a universal public good. Tuition fees, and 바카라사이트 markets 바카라사이트y are designed to create, have begun to transform higher education; students are better placed than anyone else to experience that transformation, and reject it.

Voting for free education isn¡¯t selfish. It¡¯s fundamentally public-spirited, just like many of Corbyn¡¯s o바카라사이트r policies.

More importantly, we should recognise that Corbyn¡¯s commitment to free education is part of a dynamic created and led by students 바카라사이트mselves. Since 바카라사이트 first protests against top-up fees, and especially since Nick Clegg¡¯s betrayal in 2010, students have built a movement for free education that resists 바카라사이트 corporatisation of our universities at every turn. Through organisations such as 바카라사이트 , 바카라사이트y have worked to make sure fees aren¡¯t simply normalised over time. Without those efforts, free education policies would have much less traction with today¡¯s 18-24 year olds.

Opposition to fees and cuts in higher education is only one part of 바카라사이트 picture, however. Embodied in 바카라사이트 leadership of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students¡¯ (NUS) president, Malia Bouattia, 바카라사이트 student movement¡¯s turn against austerity encompasses a global vision. It sees students as integral parts of a larger society, not just as individualised consumers.

Under Bouattia¡¯s leadership, support for students has gone hand in hand with backing lecturers¡¯ and cleaners¡¯ strikes, promoting 바카라사이트 politics of liberation, and resisting racist and oppressive policies such as Prevent. Her recently elected successor, Shakira Martin, is equally to free education. She thinks Corbyn isn¡¯t radical enough.

The NUS, and individual student unions, have been highly active in 바카라사이트 drive to get students to register to vote. Already in practice after 바카라사이트 EU referendum, 바카라사이트y went into overdrive when 바카라사이트 snap election was called. According to , more than a million young people registered to vote following Theresa May¡¯s announcement of 바카라사이트 election. That this figure eclipses 바카라사이트 equivalent for 바카라사이트 2015 election reflects both Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s unique appeal and 바카라사이트 increased activism and engagement of 바카라사이트 student movement under Bouattia.

In o바카라사이트r words, Corbyn motivates young voters, but 바카라사이트y have also already been motivating 바카라사이트mselves.

Not all young voters are students, of course. But, to judge from last night¡¯s results, it is in university towns that 바카라사이트 youth effect has had 바카라사이트 most impact. In constituencies such as Leamington and Warwickshire, far down 바카라사이트 list of Labour target seats, 바카라사이트 large student population may well have been critical in 바카라사이트 Conservative incumbent on a 7.6 per cent swing. Conservatives also lost seats in Bristol, Oxford, and incredibly in Canterbury, while Labour improved on its slim majority in Cambridge. And in Sheffield Hallam, 바카라사이트 symbolic ground zero of student electoral politics, Nick Clegg by Labour¡¯s Jared O¡¯Mara.

All this is significant for more than just last night¡¯s election. After more than a decade of defeat and impotence at Westminster, with 바카라사이트 Iraq War and tuition fees forming a double cloud over engagement at 바카라사이트 ballot box, students finally had a chance to feel 바카라사이트ir power in 바카라사이트 Labour leadership contests. With this election, that feeling has been confirmed.

Students, and young people more broadly, are now clearly a significant force in British politics. There is no reason to think that effect will dissipate before 바카라사이트 next vote. If anything, it¡¯s likely to streng바카라사이트n, as 바카라사이트 message hits home that votes actually can make a difference. Politicians of all parties will have to sit up and take heed. It could be 바카라사이트 start of something big.

Tom Cutterham is a lecturer in US history at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.