EU referendum: More than 80 per cent of students will vote Remain over new job opportunities
A huge majority of British students are set to back Remain in the EU referendum due to fears that Brexit could lead to a lack of job opportunities.
New research shows that 81 per cent of students back Remain, while just 10 per cent plan to vote to Leave. Some nine per cent were either unsure or don't intend to vote.
The research by Debut, a mobile app that connects students, graduates and brands for career targeting, found that career concerns are a huge motivating factor for students around the referendum.
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In fact, four out of five students of the 12,000 surveyed said that they believe a Brexit vote would impact their job opportunities.
The news will be welcomed by the Remain campaign, but will not ameliorate fears that turnout among younger generations will be low.
There are concerns in some quarters that if turnout is low, Leave will win as older people, who tend to be more eurosceptic, are more likely to vote than younger people, who tend to be more pro-EU.
This is not helped by the fact that young people are twice as likely not too be registered to vote as the public at large, something that groups such as Hope not Hate have been aiming to counter. The Electoral Commission has also been attempting to raise awareness around voter registration, especially of younger people, after fears that they could be "frozen out" of the democratic process.
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It's an issue that's been taken seriously by Britain Stronger in Europe, which launched a campaign called "Talk to Gran" in an effort to inspire young people not only to vote, but to convince their older relatives of the merits of EU membership.
And, among others, Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have also attempted to encourage younger generations to turn out on 23 June and cast a vote.
A series of ORB polls have also indicated that turnout will determine the outcome of the vote. The problem for Remain campaigners is that people still expect the UK to stay in the EU, thereby reducing the perceived importance for those who actually back Remain to vote.
British universities have also largely come out in favour of remaining in the EU, with over 100 university vice-chancellors signing an open letter in February outlining the role of the EU in supporting the UK's higher education institutions.