There are several reasons why Labour can’t be complacent in the run-up to the general election. Although the polling suggests it’ll be an easy Labour win, let’s look at some potential hurdles in wait.
Lack of Young Voters Registered
Data from 2022 shows that around 60% of 18-year-olds were registered to vote. Not all these will remember to vote, making the 60% figure even lower.
Labour Popular With Young Voters
The Labour Party is by far the most popular with young people. Unfortunately, the data shows that the youth are also the least likely to exercise their vote, meaning Labour can miss out.
Miss out on Millions of Votes
Suppose 40% of young people don’t vote. In that case, it can amount to millions of missed votes for Labour, hurting them disproportionately compared to other parties.
Election ‘Fever’ Not Caught On
Several political commentators are referring to the desire for change in 1997, which resulted in a genuine election fever gripping the country. That hasn’t happened so far, which might cause issues for Labour.
Distrust in Politics and Politicians
After 14 years of national regression, many people have lost faith in politics and politicians. They think voting isn’t worth it, and this apathy might hurt Labour.
Complacency in Politics
Every poll you read shows Labour is winning this at a canter, so it might force some voters to think, ‘It’s OK, they don’t need my vote’. If that attitude spreads far enough, they’ll miss out on many votes.
Not Getting Messages Across
Politics is rarely about facts, so it has to be assumed most people aren’t voting because of what they read in a manifesto. They’re voting because of the emotions and the messaging, so that has to get across.
Constant Visibility
Labour has to run an exhausting campaign on all fronts. They need to be in the faces of the people – on the TV, on social media, across the papers, etc. Labour must be a credible alternative to the Tories, not a ‘least worst’ option.
Debates Rarely Answer Questions
The televised debates have yet to do much to help educate viewers on what the parties stand for. That’s down to the format as much as anything, where leaders are expected to deliver snappy answers to deep questions.
Lack of Debate Policing
In the debates, the Tories have been allowed to get away with bare-faced lies, and that’s an issue. Debates need to be live fact-checked to ensure the public is well-informed.
Genuine Competition for Votes
Another potential issue for Labour is the genuine competition for votes this time. For the first time, we have serious competition across the political spectrum.
Resurgent Lib Dems
Whilst they’re targeting the right more than the left, the Lib Dems are a credible party once again, and they’ll win many votes from the centre of both Labour and the Conservatives.
Reform UK Flying
Buoyed by their celebrity-politician leader Nigel Farage, Reform UK is on the up. It’ll undoubtedly hurt the Tory chances and might even take a chunk of the disillusioned Labour vote.
Greens Winning Bristol and Brighton
The Green Party has gone from a sideline joke to a real party. Again, they won’t win the election but can damage some chances. Traditional Labour voters will be going green if Starmer can’t convince the electorate of his green energy plans.
Lack of Excitement Around Starmer
Keir Starmer is a capable, sensible and safe pair of hands. He’s not a charismatic leader like Obama, and he’s not a clown like Johnson. Labour needs to play to his strengths, portraying him as the adult taking over from the children.
Highlight Big Plans
Labour has excellent ideas, but they’re not being sold to the public. Announcing 1.5 million new homes is drab. The better message is telling young people they can buy a house for an affordable price.
Sell a Sense of Renewal
The UK public is tired of politics, and the electorate needs a reason to be excited about change. Labour have the ideas, but they’re not selling them to us. We need more fanfare about what they’re going to do.
Election Should Be a Stroll
With the Tories doing their best to ruin their chances, this should be an easy win for Labour. They must ensure they’re not complacent and work hard to get messages across.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.