Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick facing off at the Conservative Party Conference.
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Young conservative members across London’s universities are a rare breed.
This isn’t an assumption or preconception, but a key takeaway from the 2024 General Election results.
According to YouGov research, more voters in the 18-24 age demographic voted for Reform than the Conservatives. Compared to David Cameron’s victory in 2010, 20% less young people voted for Rishi Sunak’s party.
As for London, the Conservative Party only has 9 seats out of 75 Parliamentary constituencies. There is no Conservative MP in Inner London and Labour’s Sadiq Khan is in his third term as the Mayor of London.
As the final round of voting opens for the Conservative leadership, either Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will become the party’s new leader. If they are going to defeat Keir Starmer’s Labour, winning votes in London, and with young people, is going to be crucial.
But what does the next generation of Tory MPs and activists think? City News spoke to three members of student Conservative clubs in London to find out who they’re supporting, what they want to see change in the capital…and whether they really care about the leadership contest at all.
Rebuilding
Although YCs may care about a variety of topics, they can all agree on one thing: it’s time for a change.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker is the President of the Conservative Society at Queen Mary University, London. He’s endorsing Kemi Badenoch to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, but admits that the party is not in great shape.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker, leader of Young Conservatives Society at Queen Mary University
“I think the best way to describe the Tory party is that it’s in a state. It’s slightly dazed and confused after the election”.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker, President of the QMU Conservative society
With lots of members with conflicting views, party leadership is being indecisive, according to Joseph.
Across the river Thames, Aiden Romero is another young conservative at London School of Economics. He also thinks that the party needs shaking up.
“The word ‘Tory’ has become a slur, and not something that people would call themselves openly in public”, Aiden says.
Aiden explains that he can understand why this has become the case, admitting that the party has “failed virtually everyone in most regards”.
Young Conservative Niwa agrees.
“Unfortunately, we’ve lost the trust of the electorate, the British people, and we read the consequences of that now”.
Niwa, member of the KCL Young Conservatives’ Club
“Honesty, integrity and accountability”
When asked what he wants in a new leader, Aiden’s answer was simple: “honesty, integrity and accountability”.
“Becoming a politician is a privilege”, Aiden adds. Politicians should want to serve, he thinks.
In terms of rebuilding public trust, Joseph agrees with him, especially when it comes to scandals like Windrush.
“I feel like compassion and honesty might go a long way.”
Aiden, leader of LSE Young Conservatives
Policy
Despite Joseph saying that all YCs care about is drinking, Niwa has clear views on what the next leader of the Conservative party can do for young people in the Capital.
He attributes the collapse of Conservative support in London to a failure to invest in local and community projects.
Niwa wants to be a father and raise his children in London, but fears it has become too dangerous.
“Eventually, I hope to become a father and stay in London to do my job, because it’s the capital of the world. However, I can’t do that under this current economic and social background of London as it currently stands.”
Apathy
For Joseph and Aiden, the big takeaway from the leadership contest is that their members don’t particularly care.
Joseph knows more people that are spoiling their ballots than voting for either Jenrick or Badenoch.
“There is a genuine sense of apathy. There is dissatisfaction, partly because it’s hard to be spoken to as a Young Conservative, which is a small demographic of the party.”
For Niwa, on the other hand, the KCL members have been very responsive to the campaign.
“You have two rising stories in the Conservative party”, Niwa says. “I’ve seen more YCs than any other leadership election”.
That’s no mean feat, given how many leadership contests the Conservatives have had recently.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineLondon’s young conservatives want a full rebuild
Short HeadlineLondon's student conservatives want a rebuild
StandfirstA rarity in London's universities, the Conservative Party's youth wing have a plan to return to winning ways
Young conservative members across London’s universities are a rare breed.
This isn’t an assumption or preconception, but a key takeaway from the 2024 General Election results.
According to YouGov research, more voters in the 18-24 age demographic voted for Reform than the Conservatives. Compared to David Cameron’s victory in 2010, 20% less young people voted for Rishi Sunak’s party.
As for London, the Conservative Party only has 9 seats out of 75 Parliamentary constituencies. There is no Conservative MP in Inner London and Labour’s Sadiq Khan is in his third term as the Mayor of London.
As the final round of voting opens for the Conservative leadership, either Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will become the party’s new leader. If they are going to defeat Keir Starmer’s Labour, winning votes in London, and with young people, is going to be crucial.
But what does the next generation of Tory MPs and activists think? City News spoke to three members of student Conservative clubs in London to find out who they’re supporting, what they want to see change in the capital…and whether they really care about the leadership contest at all.
Rebuilding
Although YCs may care about a variety of topics, they can all agree on one thing: it’s time for a change.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker is the President of the Conservative Society at Queen Mary University, London. He’s endorsing Kemi Badenoch to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, but admits that the party is not in great shape.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker, leader of Young Conservatives Society at Queen Mary University
“I think the best way to describe the Tory party is that it’s in a state. It’s slightly dazed and confused after the election”.
Joseph Cotter-Brooker, President of the QMU Conservative society
With lots of members with conflicting views, party leadership is being indecisive, according to Joseph.
Across the river Thames, Aiden Romero is another young conservative at London School of Economics. He also thinks that the party needs shaking up.
“The word ‘Tory’ has become a slur, and not something that people would call themselves openly in public”, Aiden says.
Aiden explains that he can understand why this has become the case, admitting that the party has “failed virtually everyone in most regards”.
Young Conservative Niwa agrees.
“Unfortunately, we’ve lost the trust of the electorate, the British people, and we read the consequences of that now”.
Niwa, member of the KCL Young Conservatives’ Club
“Honesty, integrity and accountability”
When asked what he wants in a new leader, Aiden’s answer was simple: “honesty, integrity and accountability”.
“Becoming a politician is a privilege”, Aiden adds. Politicians should want to serve, he thinks.
In terms of rebuilding public trust, Joseph agrees with him, especially when it comes to scandals like Windrush.
“I feel like compassion and honesty might go a long way.”
Aiden, leader of LSE Young Conservatives
Policy
Despite Joseph saying that all YCs care about is drinking, Niwa has clear views on what the next leader of the Conservative party can do for young people in the Capital.
He attributes the collapse of Conservative support in London to a failure to invest in local and community projects.
Niwa wants to be a father and raise his children in London, but fears it has become too dangerous.
“Eventually, I hope to become a father and stay in London to do my job, because it’s the capital of the world. However, I can’t do that under this current economic and social background of London as it currently stands.”
Apathy
For Joseph and Aiden, the big takeaway from the leadership contest is that their members don’t particularly care.
Joseph knows more people that are spoiling their ballots than voting for either Jenrick or Badenoch.
“There is a genuine sense of apathy. There is dissatisfaction, partly because it’s hard to be spoken to as a Young Conservative, which is a small demographic of the party.”
For Niwa, on the other hand, the KCL members have been very responsive to the campaign.
“You have two rising stories in the Conservative party”, Niwa says. “I’ve seen more YCs than any other leadership election”.
That’s no mean feat, given how many leadership contests the Conservatives have had recently.
