EU referendum: In camp mocked for Ravin video
Attempt to woo under-30s branded 'patronising' while 5ive and Alesha Dixon pull out of pro-Brexit concert
Remain campaigners have been ridiculed for a "patronising" attempt to court young voters ahead of the EU referendum with a video championing "ravin" "roamin" and "chattin".
Set to loud house music, the Stronger In video features a montage of stereotypical youth activities, such as drinking wine, writing graffiti on walls and scrolling through a mobile phone.
Hashtags flash up representing the issues that Stronger In believes could sway the youth vote on Europe, such as "roamin", "shoppin" and "workin". [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"95310","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
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Although the clip contains no actual information about the debate, it does conclude that "Life's Better in the EU" and urges viewers to get "votin" for Vote In.
Younger people skew massively in favour of remaining in the bloc but tend to vote less than older members of the electorate, so turnout among the under-30s could be crucial in deciding the outcome.
However, Remain's latest stab at "getting down with the kids" was mocked on social media for being cringeworthy, patronising and - in the words of Tory MP and Brexiter James Cleverley – "so bad I thought it was a parody".
Education minister Sam Gyimah, who helped develop the new campaign, defended the ad and warned that young people could become the "lost generation" if Britain leaves the EU.
"Young people have the most at stake in this referendum and will live the longest with the consequences. #Votin is designed to speak to them, so their voice can be heard," he said.
The pro-Brexit camp's attempts to woo younger voters have also been far from smooth sailing. A concert funded by the Leave.EU group, scheduled to take place in Birmingham four days before the 23 June referendum, is in disarray after major acts withdrew from the line-up.
Nostalgia boyband 5ive and pop singer Alesha Dixon have both cancelled their scheduled appearances at the event, which also includes East 17 and Sister Sledge.
Representatives for both acts said that they had been unaware the concert was "more a political rally", and had now decided not to perform.
5ive's management emphasised the 90s chart-toppers' neutrality on the EU referendum, adding: "Their allegiance is first and foremost to their fans."
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