This is a generation used to thinking of themselves in terms of overlapping identities – black, gay, feminist, atheist, working-class, Muslim, transgender, Asian, disabled, Scottish and so on. This has had a twofold effect. The first is positive: it has created great energy behind social justice movements such as feminism, and single-issue campaigns such as the fight against the “tampon tax” (the 5% VAT rate on sanitary products) or for better sex education in schools.
However, the other side of this individualist, identity-based engagement with politics is that many young people find it hard to imagine throwing their lot in with any one political party.
I talked to young British people about why so few of them vote – and whether that will ever change.