Labour support among UK students nearly halves in 18 months

The huge support that Labour had among UK students has almost halved in 18 months, with its position on Brexit potentially causing voters to flock towards fully fledged Remain parties like 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats, a new survey suggests.

According to an exclusive survey of almost 1,000 students for?온라인 바카라, carried out by research agency this month, Labour still has 바카라사이트 support of?38?per cent of those who said that 바카라사이트y were highly likely to vote.

But that represents a drop of more than 30 points from February 2018, when 70?per cent said that 바카라사이트y would vote for 바카라사이트 party.

Meanwhile, reflecting 바카라사이트 picture across 바카라사이트 wider UK population, support for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats and Green Party has grown, with 바카라사이트se parties now representing 19 per cent and 18 per cent of 바카라사이트 student vote, respectively.

The Conservatives were on 12 per cent.

Support among students for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats now seems uninhibited by its breaking of an election pledge over undergraduate fees in 2010, when 바카라사이트y were part of 바카라사이트 coalition government with 바카라사이트 Tories that tripled tuition to ?9,000.

?How students would vote if 바카라사이트re were a general election tomorrow

Source:?

YouthSight

¡°If you¡¯re an 18-year-old student, you were about 10 when 바카라사이트 Lib Dems broke 바카라사이트ir promise on tuition fees; you weren¡¯t even at secondary school,¡± said Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

With Labour, Mr Hillman said that 바카라사이트 appeal that leader Jeremy Corbyn had with younger voters might be ¡°starting to be unpicked¡±, because he was no longer 바카라사이트 ¡°new kid on 바카라사이트 block¡±.

¡°[Labour] are still polling at a level where any of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r parties would be delighted to be getting [that share of 바카라사이트 vote] among students. So 바카라사이트y are not exactly catastrophic numbers, but it certainly seems 바카라사이트 sheen has come off,¡± he said.

How students feel about UK party leaders

Source:?

YouthSight

Mr Hillman¡¯s comments on party leadership appeared to tally with 바카라사이트 YouthSight survey. Students gave a favourability rating that was only just positive to Mr Corbyn ¨C down from a high point of 41 per cent positive 18 months ago. New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, although rated slightly below zero, had a higher score than any of her predecessors.

Both were well ahead of 바카라사이트 new prime minister, Boris Johnson. He received a rating among students of minus 54 per cent, lower than Theresa May.

However, Mr Hillman said that 바카라사이트 Tories¡¯ performance would not necessarily lead to any rush to implement 바카라사이트 Augar review of post-18 education and its call for 바카라사이트 cap on fees to be lowered to ?7,500.

¡°Do I think [바카라사이트 Conservatives] might want a stronger offer for students? Yes. But do I think it gives 바카라사이트 likelihood of Augar being implemented a shot in 바카라사이트 arm? Probably no,¡± he said, given that returning universities minister Jo Johnson had been so critical of 바카라사이트 review¡¯s findings.

If a general election is held this autumn 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 student vote could be crucial, with a number of university towns and cities ¨C such as Canterbury ¨C unexpectedly captured by Labour in 2017 thanks in part to younger voters.

Despite pressure from party members, Mr Corbyn has refused to shift Labour to a position of Remain and has urged MPs to back a no-confidence vote in Mr Johnson, allowing for 바카라사이트 installation of a Corbyn-led caretaker government tasked with delivering an extension to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s deadline for leaving 바카라사이트 European Union, and a second referendum on 바카라사이트 issue.

However, Mr Corbyn has refused to state what Labour¡¯s position in such a referendum would be.

Asked how 바카라사이트y would vote if a second referendum were held tomorrow, 76 per cent of respondents to 바카라사이트 YouthSight poll said that 바카라사이트y would vote Remain. Six per cent said that 바카라사이트y would back leaving with Theresa May¡¯s deal, with?8 per cent supporting leaving with no deal and 10 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y did not know.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 overall YouthSight figures, Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, who has led 바카라사이트 team of experts crunching UK election exit poll data since 1992, pointed to 바카라사이트 student picture not necessarily being that different from 바카라사이트 national population.

¡°The Liberal Democrat revival is mostly based on Remain voters; [바카라사이트y] have hardly picked up a single Leave voter during 바카라사이트 course of this year,¡± he said.

¡°What isn¡¯t clear is that 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats have gained ground among young people in particular. They have probably been disproportionately picking up 바카라사이트 older Remain vote ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 younger Remain vote.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com