Hung Parliament

Here is an election story that made me chuckle.

Some parents we know well decided to take their primary-school-aged children with them to vote. It would be good for the kids’ education. So the dad got his voting slip, took them into the voting booth, explained and put his cross in the box, folded the paper and popped it into the ballot box as they watched. Next it was mum’s turn and of course the children wanted to go with her too. Dad waited outside. But then suddenly, for all to hear, there came shouts from the voting booth. ‘No! Mummy, you’ve done it wrong! You’ve put the cross in the wrong box!’

The snap General Election on 8 June resulted in a hung parliament, with a politically damaged Theresa May having to make a deal with the DUP from N. Ireland to form a government; and the youth vote was a major influence.

Millennial swing

The first reason why the vote went as it did is that so-called Millennials have woken up to politics. The turnout was the highest since 1997, at 69%, and the Labour Party in particular seems to have been successful in stirring young people through social media. There was a greater swing to Labour in seats with a higher population of 18–24 year olds. This may have been down to Labour’s promise to scrap university tuition fees but probably the reason is a little more profound. The Brexit vote has been interpreted in generational terms. Britain, it is said, is heading out of Europe because last year’s vote was hijacked by self-interested, older, nationalistic people who see the world very differently from the young. The General Election gave the younger generation their opportunity to hit back.

Millennials have realised that they are likely to inherit a very different world from that of their well-off parents and grandparents. Many come out of higher education to find that they can only get work in McDonald’s. Their parents, teachers and the Internet have encouraged them to expect a lot more. They have been brainwashed into doubting the worth of traditional marriage and in many cases drift into unstable and unsatisfactory relationships. They also find that it is highly unlikely that they will ever have a job for life or own their own house. What’s more, they embark upon their futures after university with huge debt from student loans. They want a better life than what they see being foisted on them and voted accordingly.

A second reason why things did not go as the Tories hoped is because Mrs May seemed to run a fairly negative campaign. Some commented that it was a re-run of the tactics of the failed Referendum Remain message – vote for us or there will be chaos. There was little or no positive vision to excite voters.

Lessons for the churches?

If this account of the election is anywhere near right it would be worth reflecting upon by the churches. Firstly, the culture of conservative evangelical churches today tends to be that of the older middle class, which the Millennials have rejected in their voting pattern. Without change, is it any wonder that we are losing that generation and the only young people we tend to attract are those from Christian families or Christian connections?

Secondly, we are a very negative lot, known not for the gospel but for what we are against, from abortion to gay marriage. There is little communication of the positive joy and life the gospel should bring. Revive your church, O Lord!