ABSTRACT
Conventional wisdom holds that young people in Britain are alienated from the political process. Moreover, some have suggested that there is a ‘historic political disconnection’ of youth from formal politics and political institutions, with this group more likely to participate in new politics formations. In response to these developments some have talked about there being a crisis of legitimacy which should be met by initiatives to increase citizenship and engender a reinvigorated democratic culture. This article presents the results of a regional survey of first-time voters and their attitudes to politics and the democratic process. It aims to reveal the level of engagement that youth have with formal politics in Britain. Specifically, the research addresses the historical interface between young people and political parties, and whether there is a crisis of democratic legitimacy in terms of their attitudes toward politics. As a methodological innovation, the survey focuses exclusively on ‘attainers’, first-time voters who have only limited experience of formal politics.
