Andy Cook: Conservatives cannot afford to ignore lost boys

Andy Cook is Chief Executive of the Centre for Social Justice

There is a crisis affecting boys and young men in Britain, and ignoring this unfolding catastrophe will cost the nation and the Conservative Party dear.

Two weeks ago, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) published its paper on lost boys, and it has acted as a lightening rod to wake up the country to the plight of our boys and men in recent years. Since then we’ve heard from former England managers, watched Netflix thrillers depicting the realities of what is going on out there for this nation’s boys, and read a blizzard of comment pieces reflecting a myriad of views.

But what have the Conservatives had to say about all this? Nil. Nothing. Nowt.

In fact, that’s not quite true –  from those that have put their cafe macchiatos down, we have heard the liberal right’s belief that it’s just a matter of adolescence and these pesky boys will grow out of it. Just like a sneaky fag and can of Strongbow behind the bike sheds is all part of growing up for them, so watching hardcore porn, finding belonging in a street gang, or getting kicked out of school is just a phase, and simply matters of parental responsibility.  ‘Keep government out of it’ we have heard them opine.

It’s time for the Party to wake up and get out from behind its bunker.  Because while family – or rather the lack of fathers – is a major part of the problem, the fact is that no boy or young man is an island.  Culture, community and school are all key and all are going wrong for millions of proto-blokes.

At the CSJ, we average 3 visits a day to communities and estates across the UK, and we listen to those working on the frontline – the teachers, youth workers, charities, and parents. And they have told us is that something is going on with our boys – and whomsoever can speak to it, can lead them from it.

The CSJ’s “Lost Boys” report found that boys are lagging behind girls from the day they start primary school to the day they leave higher education.  The number of males aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has increased by a staggering 40 per cent compared to just 7 per cent of females, since the pandemic.

The gender pay gap has been reversed – young men are now out-earned by their female peers. The average age at which children first see online pornography is 13, although 1-in-10 are as young as nine. A quarter of young men watch porn every or most days and 88 per cent of pornographic scenes contain physical violence.

Over half of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation is now child-on-child, with boys accounting for nine out of ten perpetrators. The first half of 2023 saw reports of ‘sextortion’ increase by 257 per cent from the previous year, with boys making up 91 per cent of those affected. Nearly two thirds of young women fear young men.

Boys are almost twice as likely to have a smartphone as live with their dad.  2.5 million children have no father figure at home with boys deprived of any positive model of manhood.

And In our own exclusive polling, we found that more than four-in-ten agree that society does not value traditional masculine values, such as courage, resilience and competitiveness.

Things need to change.

Our economy, society and future well-being cannot afford this unfolding disaster.  But while the Prime Minister has said that “this is something that we have to take seriously” and been in touch with Sir Gareth Southgate amongst others, we have yet to hear anything from the Conservative front bench.  Which is surprising as it may prove as much an existential issue for the Party as for the nation.

The growing divergence in boys’ and girls’ outcomes does not only apply to education and employment.  We are also seeing a growing divide in the social and political attitudes of the sexes.  In Britain, young men are increasingly being drawn to Reform UK, while young women become ever more liberal and left-progressive.  Young men were twice as likely to vote Reform at the General Election according to YouGov.

Various theories have been put forward to explain this.

Protest and disaffection with their situations and frustration with other political parties to address this.  A nostalgic wish for a fantasy of what life as a bloke used to be like.  A backlash against years of relentless feminism and prejudice against men.  But while it’s obviously complex, our evidence suggests there is a root cause underpinning all this.

A lack of belonging.

It’s the same cause that makes a 12-year-old join a gang or the lonely lad in his bedroom click on to Andrew Tate.

And Farage – just like Trump – has made it his mission to be on the side of young men; a genuine bloke, who gives them time, recognition, and none of that pc-woke stuff.  The “boys will be boys” role model, you could say – we have all seen him enjoying a pint, puffing on a ciggie, cheering at the races – except he is also telling them that hard work and earning money is a good thing.  Throw in TikTok, some powerful young influencers and a few gags and watch many of the future voters the Conservative Party might be banking on, turn to Reform UK.

So what should the Conservatives do about it?

Most importantly, don’t rely on the liberal right whose laissez faire attitude is bad for boys and bad for the Party.   Of course parents – and particularly fathers – are central to the solution, but the crisis facing many boys must combine parenting skills and proper family policy with far more.

The Conservative Party needs to get serious about the scale of the issue and fundamental changes needed to address it.  And in doing this it has to rediscover a sense of who it is for. Over the next few months the CSJ will be fleshing out solutions for one such group – boys – through which there is a gateway to significant radical and popular policy wins.

And finally, it needs to start talking about it – loudly – and decide who is going to own it.  Not some fig-leaf like a Men’s Czar – that’s not a blokeish response – but Kemi and someone who genuinely identifies with the challenges facing boys and young men today.