Young people will be poorer if we leave the EU, says David Cameron

Writing this weekend for The Tab, the PM warned students would suffer


Prime Minister David Cameron warned this weekend leaving the EU would make it harder for young people to realise their dreams – in an exclusive article for The Tab.

The UK would be plunged into a recession, he said, and the young would bear the brunt of the economic hardship that followed. Addressing Tab readers, he said:

“I know lots of people feel confused: blinded by statistics, bored of the claims and counter-claims. Today I want to cut through the confusion and make the clear case for why Tab readers should vote to remain.

“When jobs are cut, it’s last in, first out. When interest rates rise, it’s new homeowners who face repossessions. When prices go up, it’s students and those on low salaries who suffer most. I believe we should be opening up opportunities for young people, not putting up obstacles. Leaving the EU is the ultimate barrier – a roadblock to your future, standing between you and your dreams.”

Cameron, whose Conservative party are split on the referendum, implored young people to register to vote by Tuesday and laid out his argument for the benefits of staying in the EU. He said our access to the Single Market was one of the reasons the country was thriving.

He also claimed vice chancellors say it’s vital to remain in. Some universities have come under fire for using their position to influence how students vote, despite rules saying they should remain neutral. Exeter, Oxford and Warwick have all sent private emails to students informing them why they should vote to remain.

Cameron also argued EU membership allowed many to visit, study or work in Europe, and Universities UK said two months ago that students might lose access to the Erasmus exchange scheme. A spokesperson at the time told The Tab “Outside the EU we would have to negotiate access to the Erasmus+ exchange programme. Even if the UK could negotiate access, the example of Switzerland whose participation in Erasmus+ has been suspended since a vote to limit freedom of movement shows that the status of an associated partner is fragile and depends on playing by EU rules.”

The Vote Leave campaign – who Cameron has accused of being “reckless” – claim staying in the EU will make it harder for young people to buy their first home as housing prices get pushed up. Tory minister Liam Fox said immigration creates a housing shortage and raises cost of renting, meaning students would be living at home with the parents for longer after uni.