Brexit. It’s the all-consuming issue that has dominated politics since David Cameron announced the EU referendum on the steps of Number 10 back in February 2016.
But for a group of young voters, the European elections represent much more than just an opportunity to vent their frustrations with Westminster – it’s the very first time they will be able to have their say.
At the time of the EU referendum in June 2016 – one of the most significant votes in the UK’s history – around 1.46 million 16- and 17-year-olds just missed out on helping to decide whether the country should leave or remain.
A year later, almost 1.43 million teenagers were too young to vote in the general election – a ballot that arguably decided what kind of Brexit the country would end up with.
But for young people up and down the UK, the chance to finally have their voices heard on Brexit is almost here.
With just one day to go until the polls open, HuffPost UK spoke to 18- and 19-year-olds set to vote for the very first time. We asked who they were voting for – and why.
BREXIT PARTY
NAME Emily Hewertson
AGE 19
OCCUPATION Student
LOCATION Northampton
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? The Brexit Party
WHY? Despite being a Conservative Party member, I’m extremely frustrated with Theresa May’s tragic handling of Brexit – it’s been over a thousand days since the UK voted to leave the EU. MPs passed Article 50. Article 50 stated that we were supposed to be leaving the EU on March 29, deal or no deal. We have not and I feel betrayed.
This has led me to the decision to vote for the Brexit Party at the European elections, to send a clear warning to the House of Commons. The days of the Remain vs Leave debate are over – it is now about respecting the result of a democratic process and ensuring Brexit is secured as soon as possible.
One of the most attractive things about the Brexit Party is its commitment to put the possibility of no-deal back on the table. Of course, a good deal would be preferable. However, removing the possibility of a WTO exit has put us in a terrible negotiating position. Why on earth would the EU budge on anything if it is fully aware that parliament will always reject a no-deal?
IS IT TOO LATE TO HAVE YOUR SAY ON BREXIT? I don’t support the notion for lowering the voting age to 16, so I don’t feel resentful over the fact I couldn’t vote in the EU referendum. However, it goes without saying that I’m excited to be able to participate in this election.
To me, these elections should be treated as the second referendum Anna Soubry and co have been campaigning for. If hard-Brexit parties are successful, then the argument that ‘Britons have changed their mind’ will finally be dead in the water.
LABOUR PARTY
NAME Sebastian Kobler
AGE 19
OCCUPATION English literature student at Cambridge University
LOCATION London
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? Labour Party
WHY? I think they’re the party with the best chance of beating the Brexit Party and I don’t want to see a far-right party getting the most votes in the European elections.
I think it’s too late to have my say on Brexit and treating this election as a second referendum isn’t going to change anything. The Labour Party’s policy on Brexit is the best on balance – a soft Brexit is what best reflects the result of a tight referendum.
However, both my parents are EU migrants to the UK, so freedom of movement is important to me. I’m disappointed that Labour hasn’t committed to keeping freedom of movement and hasn’t made the case for immigration.
DO YOU AGREE WITH JEREMY CORBYN THAT WE SHOULD STOP THINKING OF OURSELVES AS LEAVERS AND REMAINERS? Yeah, I do – I think it’s a shame that so much focus is on Brexit when there are other important issues facing the country. The Leave/ Remain divide is unhelpful and toxic to the political discourse of the UK.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
NAME Brahmpreet Gulati
AGE 18
OCCUPATION A Level student
LOCATION Leicester
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? Probably the Lib Dems.
WHY? Neither of the two major parties are representative of the majority of people, especially young people. Traditionally I would vote Labour in general elections or local elections, but with the EU I just don’t know.
The Lib Dems are most likely to get my vote – they represent a lot of young people like me. It’s the fact that they’re not mainstream. Being European, the fact that they are saying they want to remain is also ticking all the boxes.
In Leicester we have a college and today it is deciding whether EU students get funding next year when they do their A Level exams. So there are a lot of things that Brexit is going to effect, especially for young people like me.
CONSERVATIVE PARTY
NAME Oli Quinn
AGE 19
OCCUPATION Politics and sociology student at Goldsmiths University
LOCATION London
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? Conservative Party
WHY? At the moment, I think we’re in a position where we don’t really have a better alternative. I’m not interested in one issue parties. I’m not interested in the Brexit Party or Change UK or whatever they’re called. The Conservative Party hasn’t had an easy run with the Brexit process so far. But saying that, I do believe that it is them that has the best chance of actually getting a deal through.
I would have voted Remain if I was able to vote in the EU referendum. But if there was a vote tomorrow, I would vote Leave. I’m not going to be a brat and say ‘just because I want something means I have to get it’. I accept the fact that more people want something else, so I think we should go with that.
DID NEWS THAT THERESA MAY WILL STEP DOWN SOON INFLUENCE YOUR VOTE? I’m definitely more keen to back the Tories in these elections with Theresa May stepping down. I’m genuinely excited to see some fresh faces and fresh ideas – people like Liz Truss. We have really good people who could stand and would offer some really good new ideas that will give us a new boost.
GREEN PARTY
NAME Bonnie Coughlan
AGE 18
OCCUPATION A Level student
LOCATION I live in Oxford and Wales, but I’ll be voting in Wales.
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? I’m voting for either the Green Party or Plaid Cymru – I’m still trying to make up my mind.
WHY? Both of them really prioritise the environment. I looked up Plaid Cymru and they were voted really highly in EU parliament for prioritising the environment. Plus, both of them want a second referendum, which is something I’m really interested as well.
Realistically, in a larger referendum I would probably have been more interested in voting Labour or Lib Dem. But the recent policies of Labour and the actions of Jeremy Corbyn have put me off a bit. Meanwhile, the Lib Dems have been very outwardly aggressive to those who did not vote for Brexit.
I think one of the reasons people voted for Brexit in the first place was a sense of disenfranchisement. Encouraging further polarisation and being really divisive could have a really negative impact. I want a country where everyone feels like they are being listened to.
FOR YOU, ARE THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS JUST A VOTE ON BREXIT? No. I feel like because of Brexit, people are forgetting about other things – like the environment – which are really important. The environment should be important despite Brexit. We should also be focussing on issues such as the NHS, which are important to us whether we’re inside or outside of the EU.
UNDECIDED
NAME Kamil Rahman-Blake
AGE 19
OCCUPATION Student
LOCATION Hertfordshire and Sheffield
WHO ARE YOU VOTING FOR? I’m undecided.
WHY? I know I will be voting for a Remain party, but looking at the polling it seems the closest party to the Brexit Party is Labour and I’m still not sure where they stand.
I can’t vote for a party that wants to take us out of the European Union without giving my generation a voice in a people’s vote. I simply can’t.
DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GETTING A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY ON BREXIT WITH THESE ELECTIONS, OR DOES IT FEEL LIKE IT’S TOO LATE? It’s never too late. Will this message be as clear as if it was decided through a people’s vote? No. But this is a real chance for our generation to turn up at the polling stations on Thursday and show how we feel about Brexit.
Regardless of where our vote goes on Thursday, it is vital that it goes somewhere. We can’t let our future be chosen by someone else.
