By Ollie Stone-Lee BBC News Online politics staff

Harry Enfield's impression of young Tories has moved on, says Hendry

But the Conservatives' shadow minister for young people promises the party's youth wing will look very different - indeed decidedly normal - when it parties away at the Tory conference in Blackpool.

The Tories now see themselves as a "party of protest" and Charles Hendry says they will out-recruit the other parties at universities because young people are the voters who feel most let down by the government.

In an interview with BBC News Online, the frontbencher also argues that lowering the voting age to 16 is not the answer to re-engaging young people with the political process.

An ageing problem

The Conservatives hardly have a reputation as a young party, with their members' average age often put at over 60.

Mr Hendry says the party's age profile is a matter of concern.

Can Tories win teenagers over?

"We certainly need to bring people in, but not just people in their 20s," he says. "The biggest problems for the party is among 30 and 40-year-olds."

That age group is much less willing to join organisations of any complexion than it was in the past, he argues.

Part of the drive to appeal attract more young voters must be a change in language, says Mr Hendry.

"Politicians use very negative language towards young people," he says.

He cites talk of young offenders, when there should be more stress on young victims of crime - something he says is completely ignored in the influential British Crime Survey.

"We have to show we have genuine solutions to the problems they face."

'Recruitment success'

Mr Hendry also points to research suggesting the three issues of most concern to young people are: safety on the streets; access to education and training; and the availability of facilities and services.

The idea that young people are primarily interested in environmental and international development issues is "baloney", says Mr Hendry, although it may be true of young political activists.

Those prime concerns spell popularity for Tory headline policies such as promising 40,000 more police officers on the beat over eight years and scrapping university tuition fees, he predicts.

Charles Hendry wants more young people to vote - and to vote Tory

"I am confident that we will be the biggest party on campus this year," he says.

The Tories believe they can now claim to be a "party of protest".

Mr Hendry explains: "Young people voted for change in 1997 and 2001 for Labour. They are probably more disillusioned now than any other age group."

He says the "Tory Boy" image has been jettisoned and the youth wing now looks "very normal".

"That is the biggest change in our image change," he says.

"Whereas 10 years ago they were having white tie dinners at �150-a-head, there was a good mix at the latest Conservative future dinner, with people dressed in jeans and t-shirts. They do look like other students."

Mr Hendry acknowledges that younger Tory members may not remember the negative images attached to Tory governments.

Young candidates

Another part of his work is in non-partisan efforts to re-engage young voters in the political process.

The Electoral Commission is reviewing the voting age - which currently stands at 18.

Mr Hendry says he is interested in possibly addressing the "anomaly" that people can vote at 18 but only stand for election at 21.

But, in an indication of his party's contribution to that Electoral Commission review, Mr Hendry is personally "unpersuaded" the voting age should be lowered.

"My sense is that if we have a crisis of people not voting, we have a crisis of people who are entitled to vote not voting," he says.

'Friends of youth'?

He has yet to meet anybody who failed to vote when they had the chance when they were 18, who says that allowing them to vote at 16 would have made a difference.

Nor do a majority of pupils at the schools he visits favour lowering the voting age, although that is the overwhelming demand made by youth councils and parliaments.

"I wanted to vote when I was 10, others do not want to vote. The political party has to be able to reach out to those already able to vote and make them feel that it's more relevant to them."

Opinion pollsters Mori estimate that turnout amongst 18-24 year olds fell to just 39% at the 2001 general election.

The Tories are proudly waving an article by the chief executive of the National Youth Association saying the party has a long way to go but could now be becoming "the friends of the youth service".

But they face a stiff task to get more youngsters voting at all - and to get their ballot crosses marked under the Conservative banner.