These young Tory voters demand that the PM builds houses, bans fox hunting and names a date to quit – or she’ll lose a generation to Corbyn

THERESA MAY needs to get back to Tory basics by boosting home-ownership and cutting taxes - not to mention naming a date for her departure -  or she’ll lose the next generation to Labour for ever, young voters have told The Sun.

A panel made up of eight politically engaged under-25s said they were frustrated by the way Jeremy Corbyn has won over their peers by offering bribes such as an end to tuition fees.

But they warned the Tories won’t make progress with young people unless they offer bold policies on housing and tax - and they called on the PM to refresh her team by promoting a clutch of dynamic rising stars who can take on Mr Corbyn and his hard-left allies.

Here these young Conservatives have come up with an eight-step action plan that Mrs May would be wise to follow if she wants to have any hope of clinging on to power.

1. SHOW SOME PERSONALITY, PM

Mr Corbyn was won over millions of young voters because he puts forward a radical vision - in stark contrast to the Prime Minister's directionless attitude.

Nick Rogers, 22, said: “It’s difficult for the public to understand what it is Theresa May and the Government are all about - not just for the next six months, but for the next 10-15 years.”

With no coherent vision, the Tories haven't given young could-be-conservatives anything to get behind.

As William Tuckwell, a 19-year-old student at Queen Mary in London, says, the Tories have no “alternative grand narrative” to challenge Labour.

Even young people who have previously been fully paid-up party members are increasingly disillusioned.  Tom Harwood, 21, who has campaigned for the party, slammed the leadership for failing to explain what they actually stand for.

He said: “We should do a lot better to express the philosophy behind the Conservative party - that it’s about liberty for the individual.”

Tom said that during last year’s snap election “a lot of people were messaging me on Facebook, saying 'give me a reason to vote Conservative'” - and he found it hard to answer.

Student Oliver Riley, 19, was so turned off by the Tories’ bland offering that he voted Lib Dem last year, despite being a Conservative member.

He said: “I was so fed up with the awful manifesto and the awful campaign. They want to shake things about, but they’re too scared to rock the boat.”

Nick Rogers added: “For all his failings, Jeremy Corbyn is seen as a 'man of principle’ who sticks to his guns and is true to himself. Mrs May would do well to emulate this.”

Their calls have been echoed by Conservative MPs - ex-minister Nicky Morgan demanded that the Government should “think big and bold” to overpower Labour.

2. PREPARE TO STEP DOWN - OR BE BEATEN BY CORBYN

Some of the young voters who spoke to The Sun were adamant that Mrs May must go as soon as possible to save her party.

Elrica Degirmen, 21, is a former Ukip supporter - but at last year’s General Election, she opted for Labour instead of the Tories because she was so opposed to the PM.

She told The Sun: “It was a protest vote - I used the opportunity to vote against her. She had the audacity to call an election and not even turn up to the debates!”

William Tuckwell warned that if Mrs May tries to hang around, the question of whether Mr Corbyn will defeat her “isn’t if but when”.

He said: “Her team, the people around her, herself - they’ve all got it wrong.”

Oliver Riley mocked the PM for coming across like “some sort of robot” - saying, “I’m not optimistic that she’s going to do a U-turn and become this inspirational leader.”

But he warned the Tories not to dethrone her immediately: “A leadership election is the last thing they need.”

Tom Harwood said: “There must be a broad consensus that Theresa May shouldn’t lead us into the next election - but she shouldn’t go now.”

Other young Conservative supporters expressed concern that kicking the PM out would undermine the Government - Cameron Bradbury, 22, praised her “serious manner” and Luke Archer, 20, said there was already “too much division in the party”.

Former party chairman Grant Shapps recently called on Mrs May to announce the date of her departure - warning she’ll face a leadership challenge if she doesn’t.

3. BUILD, BUILD, BUILD - WE WANT HOMES OF OUR OWN

Young people are desperate to see the PM build millions more houses - so they can hope to afford their own home, or rent a property without it crippling them financially.

William Tuckwell said: “I see one issue and one issue along that can save the Conservative party, and that’s housing.

“Conservatives have property, and without property you can’t have Conservative voters.”

Oliver Riley agreed, telling The Sun: “It’s 100 per cent housing - housing, housing, housing.”

He suggested the Tories should consider scrapping restrictions on building on the green belt, especially near train stations on popular commuter routes which allow workers to travel to London easily.

Stephen Canning, a 25-year-old management consultant and Tory councillor, warned that policies such as the stamp duty cut which help first-time buyers weren’t enough and advised the PM to boost hard-pressed renters too.

A trio of veteran Tory MPs wrote in The Sun this week that they want a “housing revolution”, with up to 100,000 affordable homes being built a year.

Nick Boles, Nicholas Soames and Robert Halfon added: “Government ministers are busy negotiating Brexit. But they need to think about Britain after Brexit too. We can’t let Corbyn and his Trots sneak into No 10.”

4. GIVE US A (TAX) BREAK 

The Tories risk seeming ridiculous by constantly chasing after Labour policies like sky-high spending and a cut in tuition fees, young voters warned.

They said they’d prefer to see radical tax-cutting measures which would put more cash back into their pockets.

That would mean young graduates and apprentices entering the workforce for the first time would get to keep more of their pay packet - rather than handing it straight over to the Government.

Cameron Bradbury said he’d like to see fewer goodies going to the older generation - he told The Sun: “We need to realise that we spend a lot on pensions.”

Tom Harwood warned that “the Tories are playing right on Labour party turf” - adding that Mrs May should think up new ways to lighten the tax burden on the young.

Elrica Degirmen added: “Liberal voters aren’t going to go for ‘Labour lite’.”

They mocked the idea that the Government can win support by promising to cut the cost of uni - when Mr Corbyn has pledged to scrap fees altogether.

Cameron pointed out that he “wouldn’t have been able to go to university without tuition fees” because funding cuts would mean there wouldn’t be enough places available for all students.

5. SCRAP FOX-HUNTING DEBATE AND CONSIDER LEGALISING DRUGS INSTEAD

Mrs May should harness the opportunity of Brexit to bring forward radical new laws which cut the burden of state regulation.

Students told The Sun they were shocked by old-fashioned policies such as bringing back fox hunting.

Oliver Riley suggested the Tories could win youth support with a surprise move to legalise drugs, such as MDMA and marijuana (the latter being more "politically viable") in the interests of public health.

While this kind of stance is traditionally seen as a radical lefty policy, Oliver said: “If you have a regulated market, people’s lives wouldn’t be put at risk. That’s something the Government certainly won’t do, but could do to put young people on side.”

He also called for more action on treating mental health problems, saying: "Young people would love it if mental health was accorded the same status and resources available to other illnesses."

6. SHOW US HOW BREXIT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD LINKS ACROSS THE WORLD

Tom Harwood added: “If there were more policies to highlight the way that Brexit could be a liberalising force, a globalising force, that would help.”

He said ministers should seek a deal which would give Brits the right to move freely to other English-speaking countries such as the US, Canada and Australia.

That would encourage the young to see Brexit as a chance to open Britain up to the rest of the world, building cultural links with the Commonwealth and Asian giants such as China and Japan.

Luke Archer called on the Government to ditch the so-called “Snooper’s Charter”, which will allow intelligence services to track your internet use - and force people to log in before they watch online porn.

7. CONNECT WITH US ONLINE 

All the young voters interviewed by The Sun agreed that the party needs to take the fight to Labour online.

They said that Mr Corbyn's messages have been dominating the web - making it seem like all their peers back his hard-left agenda.

His band of 1.71m followers on Twitter dwarf the Prime Minister's 468,000 and at times it can feel as though the left drown out the voiceless right on social media.

The Labour leader's army of Momentum activists are known for their snappy online videos, and Tory bosses have been urged to follow their lead by pumping out attractive content on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Cameron Bradbury praised new party chairman Brandon Lewis, saying he has "revolutionised our social media".

Tom Harwood said: "The new intake all seem to get it on social media."

8. GIVE US MORE MPS WHO AREN'T MALE, PALE AND STALE  

The Tories have a host of junior MPs who should play a bigger role in the party to help it break through with young voters, according to The Sun’s panel.

Several of them name-checked Kemi Badenoch, whom Oliver Riley praised for her “very moving” maiden speech in the Commons in which she described herself as 'the British dream', an African immigrant who came to Britain aged 16 and became an MP.

Tom Harwood said it was time to reduce the Tories’ reliance on middle-aged white men, adding: “There’s some truth to the idea you should look like the country you govern.”

Senior ministers named as being able to take the Tory message to the country include Esther McVey, Sajid Javid and Dominic Raab.

William Tuckwell praised bombastic Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg as “the only people who have any form of narrative to combat the Labour party”.

Luke Archer singled out Michael Gove for his enthusiastic promotion of environmental causes, saying: “His work on animal rights is very popular with young people.”

Others called for junior minister Chloe Smith, 35, and rising star Tom Tugendhat to be given promotions.

Elrica Degirmen said the one Tory MP who deserves a higher profile is Sir Graham Brady, currently chair of the powerful 1922 Committee of backbenchers.

She said: “I think he really cares about social mobility in a way that Theresa May doesn’t.”