Confusion Amongst Young Voters Ahead of Election
On 2nd July 2021, Slough Borough Council filed a section 114 notice, declaring itself effectively bankrupt, and making it the second Labour council, to do so this decade. Since then, many young voters within the constituency have been left at a crossroads, unsure if keeping the former Labour stronghold red is truly the best option.
Slough High Street
The council was found to be in a financial black hole of over £100 million and desperately raised taxes by 9.99%, cut back on local waste disposal, libraries and other local services in order to help solve the massive deficit. But the financial strain put on residents in the midst of the cost of living crisis left many feeling betrayed.
Following local elections earlier this year, the Conservatives have taken control of the Labour stronghold for the first time since the mid-1980s, securing 21 seats over Labour’s 18. This left many young voters dismayed but also confused at what direction the council will swing in upcoming General Election, as many say they resent what the Labour party has done for the town, but do not wish to allow the Conservatives to be in control.
22 year old, Moses Munir, said: “In the past I have been both left and right leaning, shifting towards the latter in my later teenage years as a result of the people I associated with at Church, and my upbringing.
“Right now, if I’m being honest, I’m considering abstaining from the upcoming election, as I’m quite conflicted; looking at the state of the current Conservative party. I am more likely to vote for the Labour party but I would feel hesitant to do so looking at what they’ve done in Slough.
While many young voters also find themselves confused, thinking ahead to who they will vote for next year, some are willing to stick by the Labour party despite their reservations.
Georgina Njunge, 23 year old Law and Politics student, said, “It’s a bit tricky because typically I would vote Labour because I'm quite left-leaning. However the current Labour Party is not really producing policies or taking viewpoints in a way a technically socialist party would.
“I haven't really seen them oppose the government on anything that isn't blatantly obvious, which is making it hard for me to even consider voting for Labour because that would make Kier Starmer Prime Minister and I don't really trust him to actually lead the country in a manner that's not going to just align with what the Conservatives have been doing for the past 13 years and plunge the country into debt in a similar way they have done with our local council.
“I know within our local constituency Slough has always been Labour however, in our particular Parliamentary seat , we now have a Tory MP which I have not seen a very very long time. And it’s simply because people are sick and tired of how Labour is being. They’re not focusing on the right policies and I don't think that they’re focussing on what actual voters are looking for and the constituents are looking for.”