Britain | Gerontocracy

Britain’s party leaders are the oldest in more than 60 years

Watch out, whips: older MPs tend to be the most rebellious

FOR the first time in a generation a groundswell of youthful enthusiasm is gripping British politics. A high turnout among the under-25s helped to rob the government of its majority in June. But it had another, curious outcome: the young voters ended up electing the oldest crop of MPs and party leaders in decades.

Sir Vince Cable, a sprightly 74-year-old, was crowned leader of the Liberal Democrats on July 20th after Tim Farron, a whippersnapper of 47, stepped down. Sir Vince joins Theresa May (60) and Jeremy Corbyn (68) to complete a trio of senior citizens at the heart of Westminster. With a combined age of 203, the three main parties’ leaders are the oldest since 1954, when an 80-year-old Winston Churchill led the Tories. None is long in the job, but history suggests they should make the most of it. Since 1960 the average tenure of party leaders appointed in their 60s has been two-and-a-half years, against eight years for those under 50.

Across Westminster, MPs are greying. The current crop has an average age of 51, which makes it the oldest, by a whisker, of the past ten parliaments. In the 1992 election—the last time the youth turnout was as high as it was this June—only three candidates aged over 70 were elected. This year there were 28.

That might spell trouble for the whips, because older MPs tend to be more rebellious. During sittings of the 2010 and 2015 parliaments, MPs aged 65 and over were twice as likely as their younger colleagues to vote against the party line. They may be less anxious for promotion. They also have more room for manoeuvre, enjoying majorities in their constituencies that are 17% higher, on average, than those of other MPs.

With 18 years’ experience in the Commons Sir Vince, who was previously chief economist at Royal Dutch Shell, is a relative novice among his septuagenarian colleagues. The current “Father of the House” is Kenneth Clarke, a 77-year-old Tory who made his debut in 1970. The two share a fondness for Europe. Sir Vince argues for an “exit from Brexit” after the Article 50 negotiations. Perhaps old oaks can seed new debates.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "The pensioners’ parliament"

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