The Next Generation

Available for over a year

Do you still listen to music from your youth? If you do, it's because your current world view has been shaped by the formative experiences of young adulthood - and the first political decisions we make can stick with us in the same way. This is relevant to the question of who votes for the radical right now - because older voters formed their preferences back when the centre was dominant. Bur aren't we supposed to become more right wing as we age? It's a story of generations - and it makes up the complicated stew of our motivations at the ballot box. The series considers the popular misconception that young people enter the political world automatically left wing. And there's a similar belief that as we age, we will become increasingly right wing. But Professor James Tilley is on hand to reveal that the relationship between age and how we vote is not straightforward. Across five episodes he investigates how young people become attached to particular political parties, how ageing affects our political views - and how the choices made by political parties play out among the young and the old. Presented by Professor James Tilley. Produced by Kevin Core.