Brexit: Thousands of new Shropshire voters since EU referendum
By the end of the year, more than 5,500 teenagers will have become eligible to vote in the region since the Brexit vote, data reveals.
Despite three quarters of youngsters casting ballots in favour of remain in 2016, this would be unlikely to swing the area's vote in a second referendum.
The People’s Vote campaign says there should be a fresh poll on EU membership so these youngsters’ futures are not decided for them.
New Office for National Statistics data shows the number of 'attainers' - people who turn 18 and become eligible to vote, by December 1 this year.
In Shropshire, by the end of the year, there will be 5,585 new voters since the EU referendum in June 2016.
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This estimate is calculated by combining the attainers for the last three years, and half of those who came of age in 2016.
In Telford & Wrekin there will be 3,491 new voters, and 2,586 in Powys.
New voters are seen as likely to vote remain. Nationwide polls suggest almost three quarters of 18 to 24 year olds would vote to stay in the EU in a second referendum.
In 2016, Shropshire voted in favour of leave, by 56.9 per cent to 43.1 per cent, with a margin of 25,200 votes.
Telford and Wrekin voted leave, by 63.2 per cent to 36.8 per cent, with a margin of 23,700 votes, and Powys voted leave, by 53.7 per cent to 46.3 per cent, by a margin of 5,900 votes.
Future
Across the country, more than one million teenagers will have become eligible by December. In 2016, 1.26 million votes decided the referendum.
For our Future’s Sake, a youth movement in the People’s Vote campaign, believes there should be a second referendum to allow new voters to have their say.
Kira Lewis, from FFS, said: “Like hundreds of thousands of other young people, I watched helplessly as my future was decided for me.
“A whole generation were deemed old enough to drive, serve in the armed forces and get married, but not trusted to make a decision on our futures.
“We now know the costs to our economy and our sovereignty - whatever deal Parliament decides.
“It is right and fair that young people - and the rest of the country - get an opportunity to have their say in a people's vote."
In the most recent round of indicative votes, held on April 1 in the House of Commons, 280 MPs voted for a confirmatory second referendum and 292 voted against it. A further 66 abstained.
Prime Minister Theresa May, has said she opposes a second referendum, as the public has made their decision.
