Is It All About Age When It Comes To The European Referendum?

With debate on the European referendum heating up in the final days of campaigning, media headlines highlighting a generation gap in voting patterns, and various claims about the potential impact of a Remain or Leave vote on all sort of areas affecting our lives, our All About Age experts look at some of the key age issues when it comes to Britain's decision on EU Membership.

Generation Brexit

Is age a Brexit factor? Pollsters certainly seem to think so. The referendum commentary has been peppered with generalisations; the young like Europe but don't vote, older generations want to leave and usually turn out. But is there any evidence to support these assertions?

In an analysis of the polls that was published towards the end of May, Professor John Curtice noted that "the collective evidence of the polls suggests that there is little sign of a decisive movement in favour of Remain amongst the over 65s, who to date have proven relatively resistant to the idea of staying in the EU". He goes onto say that in April, on average, the polls predicted that 60% of this category would opt to Leave. While that figure may be slightly lower now, it is still significant.

Meanwhile, Curtice notes, support for staying in the EU amongst 18 to 24 year olds has edged up in those same polls from 70% in April (with 30% backing Leave) to 75% (and thus 25% supporting Leave). So the age gap in referendum voting patterns does, according to the polls, look fairly striking.

The youth vote

The campaigns are alive to these issues. The Remain camp has been targeting the youth vote while also placing considerable focus on parents and grandparents voting for their children and grandchildren's futures. The Education secretary Nicky Morgan said: "It's clear that if Britain leaves Europe, it will be young people who suffer the most, left in limbo while we struggle to find and then negotiate an alternative model. If parents and grandparents vote to leave, they'll be voting to gamble with their children and grandchildren's future."

The Electoral Reform Society has also warned of a "worrying generation gap" when it comes to poll turn out. Its Chief Executive Katie Ghose said: "It seems like young people haven't been engaged in a debate which has so far focused on personalities rather than the real issues which affect them. Not only do young people feel less interested, but they are, as we know, far less likely to vote."

And the commentary on the age profile of voters continues...

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