Man bidding to be first-ever mayor of York & North Yorkshire confident Tories can turn around 'youth crisis'

The Tory candidate hoping to become the county’s powerful new mayor has said his party is “haemorrhaging” support from younger voters.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 3rd Oct 2023, 09:09 BST
Updated 3rd Oct 2023, 11:06 BST
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Speaking at the party conference in Manchester this week, Keane Duncan said the party is facing a “youth crisis” and must do more to appeal to younger voters if it is to win the next election..

And the Conservative candidate for Mayor of York & North Yorkshire at next year’s inaugural election pledged, if elected, to be a Mayor who delivered for “all generations, but particularly the next generation”.

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“Fifty years ago, class was the dividing line in British politics. Today, the new dividing line is age,” the 28-year-old told a fringe event The Future of Conservatism.

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North Yorkshire's mayoral candidate Keane Duncan saId at a fringe event at the Tory Party Conference entitled The Future of Conservatism: “Fifty years ago, class was the dividing line in British politics. Today, the new dividing line is age."North Yorkshire's mayoral candidate Keane Duncan saId at a fringe event at the Tory Party Conference entitled The Future of Conservatism: “Fifty years ago, class was the dividing line in British politics. Today, the new dividing line is age."
North Yorkshire's mayoral candidate Keane Duncan saId at a fringe event at the Tory Party Conference entitled The Future of Conservatism: “Fifty years ago, class was the dividing line in British politics. Today, the new dividing line is age."

“We are haemorrhaging support from younger voters.

"This represents a crisis for our party that we must turnaround if we are to win the next election.”

His comments come after the latest YouGov poll showed just 1 per cent of 18-to 24-year olds plan to vote Conservative at the General Election.

Mr Duncan said the party must go “back to fundamentals” – these would be the building blocks of his campaign to be the county’s first-ever elected Mayor.

He called for:

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“A Conservative Party that backs aspiration and is proud of success.

“A Conservative Party that says whoever you are, wherever you’re from in UK, whatever your background, you can succeed.

“A Conservative Party that does not just look at the here and now, but looks to the longer-term.

“A Conservative Party prepared to be honest about the country’s challenges.

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“And, critically, a Conservative Party prepared to act, even if it is tough, to ensure younger people are better off.”

Keane would be the UK’s youngest ever directly-elected mayor if successful in May’s election.

Addressing the issue of his own age, he told Young Conservatives at the event: “It’s more important than ever to have younger representation.

“We are the future of our party, the future of Conservatism and the future of the country.

“We can overturn our youth crisis, we can win the next election and the Conservative Party can deliver.”

Related topics:MayorYorkNorth YorkshireManchester