As the country dissects the local election results, which delivered a heavy blow to the two main parties, attention is now turning to Gen Z and Gen A to determine whether they will deliver the final blow to Labour and the Conservatives in three years. Growing up in a decade of political turmoil and dishonesty—now on the fifth prime minister in ten years—young people are hit hardest by a declining job market, shrinking economy, and spiraling costs. Mainstream parties are waking up to the fact that 18-to-35-year-olds, not pensioners with protected triple-locked pensions, need urgent attention.
Promises Falling Short
Labour has made elaborate promises about jobs, support, reorganising higher education, and providing youth resources like clubs and hubs. The Conservatives’ 2026 manifesto for young people pledges a £5,000 job bonus, abolishing stamp duty for first-time buyers, scrapping student loan interest, and an Apprenticeship Guarantee scheme. However, when talking to young people, it is too little, too late. Many struggle to find one meaningful positive change the current political system has made in their lives.
Desperation Drives Alternative Appeal
Out of this desperation, a hunger for alternatives is growing. While Green Party leader Zack Polanski made significant gains, the relationship between young people and Reform UK is equally telling. Young Reform supporters fall into two camps: true believers and those desperate for change. Grant, 21, a passionate Reform supporter, says: “The two main parties have completely betrayed us. Immigration is a mess, we’re seen as a soft touch, people are getting knifed on the streets… Our parents could buy a house and raise kids on one wage. That’s what we want.”
Sarah, 22, who is “Reform-curious,” adds: “Things have gone so wrong for young people… There are no jobs, crime is getting worse. I’m not anti-immigration, but no one can deny that the system is a mess. I feel like Farage is an arsehole, but he might be our arsehole. A bit like Trump.”
Anger and Disillusionment
Rajesh, 21, a politics student at UCL who voted Green, warns: “The country is a tinderbox. I’ve never seen so much anger and disillusionment. It’s so close to the exact same political and economic climate we saw in the 1930s. I just want to scream at Labour, do one thing for us. Just one. An apprenticeship scheme that works. Cancel tuition fees. Make the Tube affordable for under-30s. Just one thing. Please.”
The “just one thing” principle—where small changes would make a real difference—is frustratingly simple and often missed by mainstream parties. When young people see even small things not improving, they lose hope for bigger issues like jobs, childcare, and house prices.
Lessons from New York
In New York, Zohran Mamdani’s focus on making buses free was devastatingly effective, highlighting the importance of political minutiae. Hallie, 22, describes herself as “Reform-curious”: “I’ve lost any hope that politics means anything or cares about anyone. My generation are skint and scared. I’ll vote for the people who will sort out the economy… It’s harder to care about other people when no one cares about you.”
Elliot Bewick, 20, host of the “Next Generation” podcast, believes mainstream parties use young people as props for power and then abandon them. He says: “Youthful engagement is nothing more than a ploy for power. These people don’t care about fixing young people’s lives.”
Outsider Appeal
Figures like Farage and Polanski benefit from being unknown quantities, similar to Trump’s first-term appeal. Young people know their lives haven’t improved under Labour or the Conservatives, but hope a disruptor might change things. Under Farage’s leadership, a Reform government is closer than ever. Unless mainstream parties make a material difference to young people’s lives, the smashing of politics as we know it will continue.
