Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
15
Feb
The Knaresborough Tory trying to sell the party to young people
Few people have experienced the political turnaround that Knaresborough man Tyler Reeton has had in five years.
In 2021, he stood for Labour in the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election for a seat on the former North Yorkshire County Council.
But, fast forward to the present day and the 24-year-old is rubbing shoulders with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and trying to recruit young people to the Conservative Party.
Sitting down in the Stray Ferret offices on a gloomy February late afternoon, he shed some light on his change of political allegiance.
Mr Reeton said he got into politics after seeing the impact of the cost of living crisis.
The senior project manager in the environmental sector sought to tackle the problem through politics. He says:
I became very well aware of the cost of living at a very young age. My parents were both long term unemployed at the time. I was someone who was very aware of finances and the current political situation.
On his 14th birthday, he joined the Labour Party and began attending constituency meetings.
However, after feeling uncomfortable with the direction of the party in 2018 and standing in the last North Yorkshire County Council by-election election three years later, he opted to leave Labour.
At that time, I was very influenced by my parents. I used to go to the constituency meetings in Ripon and even went to Labour conference in 2018.
But around that time in 2018/19, my mindset began to change. That was all around how left wing the Labour Party was getting. I’ve been socially conservative all my life and at that time I was struggling to see what my identity was.
He joined the Liberal Democrats briefly, but admits he made the decision “out of comfort” and “was not being true" to himself.
But, it was in 2023 after joining the Tories when he says he felt most comfortable.
The Conservatives were not in good shape — plummeting in the polls and onto their fifth Prime Minister in 13 years.
But, Mr Reeton felt at home. His views on higher defence spending, cutting taxes and traditional family values were being reflected, he said.
Mr Reeton with Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party.
After two years of “sitting back”, as he describes it, he decided to get involved in campaigns and the party’s digital output.
It was here that he was tasked with improving the Conservatives’ image with younger people.
‘We need to advocate’
Mr Reeton was elected deputy chair of Yorkshire Young Conservatives and deputy national chair of the Young Conservatives.
His role has focused on increasing party membership among the young and changing the perception of Tories as “tweed-wearing people, three-piece suits and cigar nights”.
Mr Reeton encourages younger members not to wear suits all the time at events and to “act as you would normally”.
But, his job also has a wider remit — encouraging more young people to vote Conservative.
Part of this is through mobilising the Young Conservatives to help the party campaign machine. The party has around 14,000 Young Conservative members with 500 of those in Yorkshire.
Mr Reeton (centre) at a Yorkshire Young Conservative launch event at Leeds CCHQ in September 2025 with Kevin Hollinrake MP and former MP Luke Graham.
However, the Tories are still polling poorly with 18-24 year-olds, according to a YouGov poll published at the start of February and the party is still wrestling with its 'nasty party' image among the young.
Mr Reeton admits the party needs to be “honest with itself” when it comes to improving its image with the young.
He adds that one way to do this would be to become an “advocate” for the younger generation and points to the party’s policy to scrap stamp duty for first time buyers:
When I have spoken to younger people, a lot of the time political parties try to be sympathetic rather than advocate.
Young people don’t want sympathy for the hardships they are going through. They want advocacy. I think because of past decisions and how we were in government, that has put some young people off. It is an uphill challenge.
But if we have policies that relate to younger people, that are not just policies where we are sympathetic but that help everyone like the cut in stamp duty, then in the end I think we will over time see younger people consider voting Conservative.
‘Never say never’
Mr Reeton's upbringing in a Labour household seems far away now as he talks of his fondness for former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who he believes did not get the chance to “spread his wings” in Downing Street, and how he believes Ms Badenoch can lead the Tories into the next election.
His first step into the political arena came five years ago when he won 434 votes for Labour in the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election.
Now he does not rule out standing again, but this time for the Conservatives, either for North Yorkshire Council or as a Member of Parliament one day.
“I’d be very interested in standing, potentially being an MP one day. But, I don’t think I’ve got enough life experience just yet to determine if I would make a good MP.”
How about next year’s North Yorkshire Council elections?
Mr Reeton nods and says: “Never say never."
0