Would you date someone who votes for “the other side”? For millions of Brits, the answer is a firm no. A revelatory new study has exposed how politics is wreaking havoc on the UK’s love lives, with Labour and Conservative supporters more likely to swipe left on each other than even the least attractive faces on dating apps.
The research, co-authored by renowned behavioural scientist Professor Paul Dolan, reveals that political preferences matter just as much as physical appearance when it comes to finding love. For some, it matters even more.
Prof Dolan, best known for his work on happiness and decision-making, features this research in his newly released book Beliefism: How to Stop Hating the People we Disagree With, which explores how deeply-held beliefs influence even our most personal choices.
In a large-scale experiment involving 3,000 UK participants, Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science at London School of Economics and his team found people were twice as likely to pick a date based on politics than education level. While beauty still turns heads, being a card-carrying Labour or Conservative member can be a deal-breaker.
One of the most significant revelations is that Labour supporters are far more politically picky than their Conservative counterparts. While both sides preferred dating within their own party, Labour voters were nearly twice as likely to shun a potential partner from the opposite camp.
The study also uncovered a surprising twist: Conservative supporters were more open to dating Labour voters who defied left-wing stereotypes, like being traditional, non-vegan, or white. In contrast, Labour supporters were actively repelled by “counter-stereotypical” Tories, preferring them to stay in their ideological lane.
It seems for Labour romantics, a vegetarian Conservative is worse than a traditional Tory.
However the study also found that political tolerance – being open to dating someone from another party – was the biggest turn-on of all. Participants were more likely to swipe right on tolerant dates than even the most attractive profiles.
“People are put off by intolerance,” said Professor Dolan. “If your profile says ‘No Tories’ or ‘No Labour voters’, you’re instantly less appealing. Being open-minded beats political biases and tribalism.”
The research mirrors recent real-life swiping trends. On popular apps like Tinder and Hinge, profile bios increasingly include political filters: “Swipe left if you vote Tory” is a common sight. But the study reveals this political snobbery may be costing people matches.
Being physically attractive still boosts your chances, but only by the same margin as sharing political views. For men especially, a progressive ideology was a turn-off, while women preferred progressives and were more likely to reject Tories outright.
Professor Dolan argues that politics is now used as a “shortcut” to judge character.
“Partisanship isn’t just about policies anymore,” he said. “People assume your political party says everything about your values, lifestyle, even personality. This drives people to avoid out-partisans in dating—not because of politics itself, but because of the stereotypes it represents.”
The study paints a worrying picture of a society where political tribes dominate even the most personal decisions. Since the Brexit referendum, the UK has become sharply polarised. This study shows that this cultural divide has infected the dating scene, making it harder for young people to connect across political lines.
The study’s authors warn this trend has broader social implications. If people refuse to date across political divides, it could lead to even deeper societal fractures.
“This is more than a dating problem,” said Dolan. “It reflects how people are increasingly unwilling to engage with opposing views in all areas of life. Dating apps are just the canary in the coal mine.”
Would you date someone who votes for “the other side”? For millions of Brits, the answer is a firm no. A revelatory new study has exposed how politics is wreaking havoc on the UK’s love lives, with Labour and Conservative supporters more likely to swipe left on each other than even the least attractive faces on dating apps.
The research, co-authored by renowned behavioural scientist Professor Paul Dolan, reveals that political preferences matter just as much as physical appearance when it comes to finding love. For some, it matters even more.
Prof Dolan, best known for his work on happiness and decision-making, features this research in his newly released book Beliefism: How to Stop Hating the People we Disagree With, which explores how deeply-held beliefs influence even our most personal choices.
In a large-scale experiment involving 3,000 UK participants, Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science at London School of Economics and his team found people were twice as likely to pick a date based on politics than education level. While beauty still turns heads, being a card-carrying Labour or Conservative member can be a deal-breaker.
One of the most significant revelations is that Labour supporters are far more politically picky than their Conservative counterparts. While both sides preferred dating within their own party, Labour voters were nearly twice as likely to shun a potential partner from the opposite camp.
The study also uncovered a surprising twist: Conservative supporters were more open to dating Labour voters who defied left-wing stereotypes, like being traditional, non-vegan, or white. In contrast, Labour supporters were actively repelled by “counter-stereotypical” Tories, preferring them to stay in their ideological lane.
It seems for Labour romantics, a vegetarian Conservative is worse than a traditional Tory.
However the study also found that political tolerance – being open to dating someone from another party – was the biggest turn-on of all. Participants were more likely to swipe right on tolerant dates than even the most attractive profiles.
“People are put off by intolerance,” said Professor Dolan. “If your profile says ‘No Tories’ or ‘No Labour voters’, you’re instantly less appealing. Being open-minded beats political biases and tribalism.”
The research mirrors recent real-life swiping trends. On popular apps like Tinder and Hinge, profile bios increasingly include political filters: “Swipe left if you vote Tory” is a common sight. But the study reveals this political snobbery may be costing people matches.
Being physically attractive still boosts your chances, but only by the same margin as sharing political views. For men especially, a progressive ideology was a turn-off, while women preferred progressives and were more likely to reject Tories outright.
Professor Dolan argues that politics is now used as a “shortcut” to judge character.
“Partisanship isn’t just about policies anymore,” he said. “People assume your political party says everything about your values, lifestyle, even personality. This drives people to avoid out-partisans in dating—not because of politics itself, but because of the stereotypes it represents.”
The study paints a worrying picture of a society where political tribes dominate even the most personal decisions. Since the Brexit referendum, the UK has become sharply polarised. This study shows that this cultural divide has infected the dating scene, making it harder for young people to connect across political lines.
The study’s authors warn this trend has broader social implications. If people refuse to date across political divides, it could lead to even deeper societal fractures.
“This is more than a dating problem,” said Dolan. “It reflects how people are increasingly unwilling to engage with opposing views in all areas of life. Dating apps are just the canary in the coal mine.”
