Historic youth turnout sinks Theresa May

Early analysis indicates an exceptionally high turnout of young people in the General Election.

In the last four general elections around 40 per cent of young people voted, but that trend seems to have been reversed, with youth support cited as a major driver of Jeremy Corbyn’s surprise surge.

An assortment of journalists and politicians have put the 18-24 turnout as high as 72 per cent, though that figure has not been confirmed.

It means Theresa May has lost her Commons majority and could still be forced to resign. If she doesn’t, a mutiny by her Tory brothers is possible.

Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg lost his Sheffield Hallam seat to Labour’s Jared O Mara in the early hours, something to bring a smile to members of the £9k club.

The full results so far: CON 318 LAB 261 SNP 35 LD 12 DUP 10 OTH 13 (UKIP 0)

18 to 24-year-olds seized the opportunity to exact their revenge on the incumbent Prime Minister, with the student vote going largely to Jeremy Corbyn.

Putting on an unforeseeably brilliant campaign, rallies in Leeds and Newcastle drew crowds in their thousands, shutting down entire streets. It was at these grassroots events that the Labour leader presented a move toward positivity, which resounded with the young part of the electorate.

Labour’s Paul Flynn, who was re-elected to Newport West, said : “I would like to say how thrilled, exhilarated I am about the welling up of idealism among young people. We can look forward with great excitement to the future of those young people, politicised now by hope, by idealism, by integrity.”