The kids aren’t all right

In early June, Ben Benstead joined CLES for a week of work experience. Ben is a sixth form student from Hebburn attending St Joseph’s Catholic Academy. Here he shares some of his personal thoughts on how the experiences of young people are shaping our political agenda and, in particular, the rise of Reform.

The youth are losing faith in the establishment.

The past 15 years of Conservative government, the economic and social strife ravaging the nation, and a new government which seems determined not to “rock the boat”, has led to the younger generation finding solace elsewhere. Radicalism is everywhere in 2025, and many young people, traditionally considered to be more left leaning in their political inclinations, are finding comfort in the opportunist ideology of Reform.

This dramatic shift in the youth has been allowed to fester by the establishment who did little to quell this radicalisation at its roots. Instead, they have allowed their complacency and misunderstanding of young people to pave the way for them to fall victim to right-wing populism.

“My generation has matured in a system which does not sufficiently care for them”

It would be a great disservice, however, to write off young people as inexperienced or ignorant for holding radical beliefs. My generation has matured in a system which does not sufficiently care for them. Is it any wonder, then, that they do not care about the existing establishment and are seeking alternatives in the hope of creating a better life for themselves?

Throughout history, desperation has led to swathes of people latching onto a belief or movement that provides them with a sense of security, hope and belonging. As Karl Marx observed, this sense of hope was once found in religion. Living in a “heartless world”, the average individual found solace in the idea that, if they followed a particular set of rules and instructions, it would lead them to living in prosperity. Radicalism is this new religion. People find comfort in believing that, if they follow this ideology’s particular beliefs, they will be on the path towards a better life. The youth, however, cannot be blamed. It is understandable they find comfort and hope in an ideology which presents itself as a saviour to society.

A broken and lopsided economy

Deprivation has become common place throughout the United Kingdom. Broken public services, growing disparities in wealth and unfulfilled promises have laid the foundations for a distrusting and cynical youth. They, understandably, want to secure prosperity in their future, instead of continuing in the perceived hopelessness of everyday life in modern British society in which they struggle to meet basic needs.

“dread and anger”

The “level of entry” into the economy for young people in Britain is nothing less than dire. In February of 2024, the Homeowners Alliance reported that 52% of aspiring homeowners in Britain do not believe they will ever be able to purchase a home. Additionally, they reported that 28% of younger homeowners relied on government schemes just to get a place to live. It is entirely reasonable, then, for young people to be filled with dread and anger, their futures uncertain.

When the blame for this state of affairs is pinned on immigrants (for “taking homes”) – even if this blame is largely embellished – it’s not entirely surprising that young people, out of desperation and dissatisfaction, have begun to see the overall immigrant population as an “enemy”. It is far easier to scapegoat a physical population than the more nebulous concept of the political economy.

Complacency, dissociation and validation

Current government policy exists only as a platform to appease as many voters as possible, instead of fighting for an ideological shift or the improvement of living conditions. It is this which has allowed for a radical alternative to embed itself within the minds of the average young individual. It is this painstaking hesitance from the dominant parties in Parliament, particularly on the centre left, to make bold changes which has made them vulnerable to opportunists recruiting working class young people. Despite presenting themselves as the party of the working class, Labour’s hesitance to outwardly decry right wing ideology – in a bid to maintain a broader voting share – has backfired.

“Labour remains painfully silent”

Younger generations now feel as if the only true working class party is the one which is validating their feelings of despair. Reform have successfully, despite holding views which go against the progress which previous generations fought vigorously to gain, portrayed and established themselves in the public eye as this theoretical working class party. The youth feel heard by Reform. Their worries are acknowledged with a promise of addressing them. Meanwhile, Labour remains painfully silent and ignorant of such issues, allowing the right to position themselves as the only path forward for Britain while framing Labour as a condescending, inefficient elite.

A misunderstanding of the youth

The political class is still operating on the gross misunderstanding that young people incline to the left of the political spectrum. The ultimate truth is that young people are not inherently leftists, they are inherently anti-establishment. Although it was a young progressive generation which, in the face of an emerging industrial world, paved the way for the rights of workers and that, in the face of racial oppression, fought endlessly to establish civil rights, it was also a young generation which, harrowed by the economic hardships in interwar Germany, allowed for and complied with the rise of the Nazi Party. It was a young generation which, in the face of the presence of foreign powers in the middle east, succumbed to religious radicalisation and took up arms in droves in the belief they were preserving their society’s existence.

“the only alternative”

There is an arrogance in the left’s belief that the youth will automatically subscribe to their ideology. In reality, young people see the current form of the Labour party as ineffective, and in possession of an ideology which will keep Britain at a standstill, instead of acting upon the interest of the people. Reform, by providing an alternative and acknowledging the issues the people actually face, have become a party which is seen as a path towards progression away from the hardships and perceptions that have festered in the minds of young people. Instead of attempting to appeal to everyone, they have perpetuated a singular hardline set of beliefs as the only alternative.

A path forward for the left

That is not to say that the left cannot reclaim its relevance, but it must act quickly. The current hesitancy of Labour must be abandoned in favour of a more hardline approach. This might put off some voters, but it would simultaneously challenge Reform’s claims that their ideas offer relief and progress. If the left wants to survive, it must demonstrate its willingness to create change instead of simply making broad promises. While the recent Comprehensive Spending Review was a useful tool for establishing a plan for Britain, votes are won by actual, visible change.

“a better and more prosperous life”

The left must demonstrate to young people that socialist policy can provide a better and more prosperous life for them, dissuading them from falling further into a hateful and selfish set of beliefs. The longer the current establishment does not reinvigorate its approach, the less likely it is that young people will see any hope and comfort within the left and the more ardent they will become in their right wing views.