If Keir Starmer hadn’t already demonstrated just how out of touch he is with the public, he certainly has now. Votes for 16-year-olds? Does he seriously believe that today’s 13-year-olds – many of whom will be unaware of his announcement – will be flocking to the ballot box in 2029 out of a burning passion for higher taxes?
Let’s be honest, half of them will vote for a laugh, and the more politically aware among them may not vote the way Starmer is banking on. Reform UK is already topping the polls, and now the Prime Minister has handed them the gift of thousands of potential, new, budding-Farage voters. A poll this morning does show Labour leading among 16-17 year-olds with around 33% support, but Reform is close behind at 20%.
Starmer may be feeling smug about that 13-point lead, yet broader polling still puts Farage’s party well ahead if a General Election were held tomorrow.
Farage has called the PM’s latest stunt “an attempt to rig the political system,” but added that they “intend to give them a nasty surprise.”
To the average Brit, especially those outside the Westminster bubble, the political shift to the right among younger voters isn’t surprising. But to Starmer and his deluded inner circle? Probably a shock.
On TikTok, for example, where one in four users is under 20, Farage has amassed 1.3 million followers, while Reform UK’s official account has 416k. The Labour government? It’s lagging behind with just a measly 231.3k.
According to Ofcom, 44% of TikTok users who get news from the platform say they rely more on “other people they follow” than on traditional news outlets (24%). That’s Farage’s playground.
Maybe Starmer should have launched a TikTok account alongside his announcement on voting reform. Right now, Farage is dominating the political conversation among Gen Alpha (People born between 2010 and 2024).
Even YouGov polling done in June shows Labour support among the younger 18-24-year-olds has dropped by 11% since last year’s General Election, while Reform has seen gains in that same age group.
As I’ve said before, Starmer clearly hasn’t read a polling report in his life – because if he had, he’d see that this bizarre move will eventually play directly into Nigel Farage’s hands.