Disarmed and disenfranchised, young Britons are being cheated out of their future.
Young people in the UK have a raw deal — and it’s getting worse.
The cost-of-living crisis, unaffordable housing, unstable jobs, underfunded mental health services, and the slow collapse of public infrastructure have all taken their toll. But perhaps the greatest betrayal is this:
They’re being robbed of the ability to fight back. The youngsters in the image accompanying this article are an exception.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
In 2013, This Site warned that young people were growing up in a country that offered little hope.
Today, that warning has hardened into grim reality.
The future for Britain’s youth looks like insecure work, lifelong renting, and increasing alienation from the decisions that shape their lives.
But here’s the deeper problem — it’s not just economic. It’s systemic.
If you can’t change the system, the system wins. And young people, in growing numbers, don’t believe they can change anything at all.
Misinformation, mistrust, and misery
Political illiteracy isn’t an accident — it’s a strategy.
In 2024, 70 per cent of 8- to 17-year-olds didn’t even know the name of their MP.
More than half said they didn’t think politicians cared about their generation’s concerns.
That’s not youthful indifference – it is evidence of a broken system where young people have been deliberately excluded from civic life.
And it works, because when you don’t understand how power works — when you don’t know how to wield a vote, form a movement, or hold your MP to account — you’re no threat to those who’ve rigged the game.
Add to that the misinformation being piped through social media — where influencers and TikTok commentators are now trusted more than journalists — and you’ve got a perfect storm.
Disillusioned, disempowered, and digitally distracted, young people are being quietly ushered out of politics altogether.
The great gaslighting
We’re told that young people don’t care about politics – but look closer.
They care — about climate change, about inequality, about injustice. What they don’t believe in is the system as it stands.
Who can blame them? When politicians break promises with impunity, when housing remains out of reach, when jobs don’t pay the bills… why would anyone trust that Westminster is listening?
Worse still, the narrative gets flipped: “They’re lazy.” “They’re entitled.” “They don’t vote, so why should we listen?”
That’s gaslighting, pure and simple.
The truth is, this generation hasn’t failed democracy. Democracy has failed them.
The price of silence
In a functioning democracy, silence is expensive – because the fewer people who speak out, the easier it is for the powerful to tighten their grip.
Right now, young people’s silence is being bought with a toxic mix of disillusionment and despair.
But history tells a different story — one that’s inconvenient to those in charge.
Every right we enjoy today — from the vote, to free healthcare, to education — was won by ordinary people who got organised, got angry, and got moving.
If young people today are losing those rights, it’s not because they’re apathetic. It’s because they’ve been told the lie that nothing they do matters.
Time to call the bluff
It’s time to stop accepting the myth of youth disengagement. It’s time to start calling it what it is: a conscious effort to disenfranchise an entire generation.
Young people are not the problem. They are the solution — but only if they’re given the tools, the truth, and the opportunity to fight back.
That means civic education. It means rebuilding trust. It means telling the truth about what power looks like — and how to take it back.
Because if there’s one thing those in power fear, it’s a generation that finally realises it does have a future worth fighting for.
What can you do?
If you are a young person — or someone who cares about their future — here are some places to start:
- Register to vote. It takes five minutes. gov.uk/register-to-vote
- Find out who your MP is and let them know what matters to you. Hold them accountable.
- Join a political party — not because they’re perfect, but because that’s where change can begin.
- Support or start a youth-focused campaign group. Groups like Bite Back 2030, My Life My Say, and others are already fighting for youth rights.
- Educate others. Share information about how politics works, how to vote, how to protest, how to build pressure.
This generation has the numbers, the passion, and the intelligence to reclaim its power. But first we all have to stop pretending this is someone else’s problem.
If we don’t act now, the next article won’t be about missed opportunities.
It’ll be an obituary for democracy.
So the question is: are we going to help them fight?
Or do we just have something better to do?
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
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Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
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Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
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And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Young Britons are being cheated out of their future
Disarmed and disenfranchised, young Britons are being cheated out of their future.
Young people in the UK have a raw deal — and it’s getting worse.
The cost-of-living crisis, unaffordable housing, unstable jobs, underfunded mental health services, and the slow collapse of public infrastructure have all taken their toll. But perhaps the greatest betrayal is this:
They’re being robbed of the ability to fight back. The youngsters in the image accompanying this article are an exception.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
In 2013, This Site warned that young people were growing up in a country that offered little hope.
Today, that warning has hardened into grim reality.
The future for Britain’s youth looks like insecure work, lifelong renting, and increasing alienation from the decisions that shape their lives.
But here’s the deeper problem — it’s not just economic. It’s systemic.
If you can’t change the system, the system wins. And young people, in growing numbers, don’t believe they can change anything at all.
Misinformation, mistrust, and misery
Political illiteracy isn’t an accident — it’s a strategy.
In 2024, 70 per cent of 8- to 17-year-olds didn’t even know the name of their MP.
More than half said they didn’t think politicians cared about their generation’s concerns.
That’s not youthful indifference – it is evidence of a broken system where young people have been deliberately excluded from civic life.
And it works, because when you don’t understand how power works — when you don’t know how to wield a vote, form a movement, or hold your MP to account — you’re no threat to those who’ve rigged the game.
Add to that the misinformation being piped through social media — where influencers and TikTok commentators are now trusted more than journalists — and you’ve got a perfect storm.
Disillusioned, disempowered, and digitally distracted, young people are being quietly ushered out of politics altogether.
The great gaslighting
We’re told that young people don’t care about politics – but look closer.
They care — about climate change, about inequality, about injustice. What they don’t believe in is the system as it stands.
Who can blame them? When politicians break promises with impunity, when housing remains out of reach, when jobs don’t pay the bills… why would anyone trust that Westminster is listening?
Worse still, the narrative gets flipped: “They’re lazy.” “They’re entitled.” “They don’t vote, so why should we listen?”
That’s gaslighting, pure and simple.
The truth is, this generation hasn’t failed democracy. Democracy has failed them.
The price of silence
In a functioning democracy, silence is expensive – because the fewer people who speak out, the easier it is for the powerful to tighten their grip.
Right now, young people’s silence is being bought with a toxic mix of disillusionment and despair.
But history tells a different story — one that’s inconvenient to those in charge.
Every right we enjoy today — from the vote, to free healthcare, to education — was won by ordinary people who got organised, got angry, and got moving.
If young people today are losing those rights, it’s not because they’re apathetic. It’s because they’ve been told the lie that nothing they do matters.
Time to call the bluff
It’s time to stop accepting the myth of youth disengagement. It’s time to start calling it what it is: a conscious effort to disenfranchise an entire generation.
Young people are not the problem. They are the solution — but only if they’re given the tools, the truth, and the opportunity to fight back.
That means civic education. It means rebuilding trust. It means telling the truth about what power looks like — and how to take it back.
Because if there’s one thing those in power fear, it’s a generation that finally realises it does have a future worth fighting for.
What can you do?
If you are a young person — or someone who cares about their future — here are some places to start:
This generation has the numbers, the passion, and the intelligence to reclaim its power. But first we all have to stop pretending this is someone else’s problem.
If we don’t act now, the next article won’t be about missed opportunities.
It’ll be an obituary for democracy.
So the question is: are we going to help them fight?
Or do we just have something better to do?
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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