Full Breakdown
Youth Preference Shift in UK Politics
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Poll Findings on Prime Minister and Party Support
Ipsos data presented at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool shows that 39 % of respondents aged 18-25 say they are satisfied with the prime minister, Andy Burnham, while only 22 % approve of the Labour government he leads and 68 % express dissatisfaction. Among the same cohort, Green Party leader Zack Polanski trails the prime minister closely, with 33 % expressing satisfaction. When asked which party they would vote for in a hypothetical election, 33 % of Gen Z respondents say they would choose the Greens, compared with 28 % for Labour. By contrast, the 2024 general election saw 41 % of young voters supporting Labour and 19 % the Greens, indicating a marked shift.
Issue Priorities Among Gen Z
The Ipsos survey of British adults conducted from July to August this year finds that inflation and the cost of living are the top issues for young voters, cited by 49 % as decisive factors, followed by the NHS (46 %) and housing (39 %). Immigration is less salient for this group, with only 34 % naming it a key concern, versus 51 % of the overall electorate.
Impact on Labour and Green Party Prospects
The polling also highlights a “Burnham bounce”: Labour’s standing rose from a 4.5-point deficit to a 3.5-point lead in the two months after Burnham assumed leadership, largely by recapturing former Labour voters (support increasing from 49 % to 61 %). Nonetheless, overall dissatisfaction with the government fell only modestly, from 79 % to 70 %. The data suggest that while Burnham’s personal popularity may benefit Labour, the party’s appeal among young voters remains weaker than the Greens’ emerging support.
Business Rate Cuts and Public Perception
In his first week as prime minister, Burnham announced business-rate reductions for pubs. A separate poll question found that 34 % of respondents would most like to share a pint with the prime minister, outpacing Reform Party leader Nigel Farage (19 %), Kemi Badenoch (10 %) and Polanski (8 %). This personal favorability appears to translate into broader public goodwill, even as party-level approval lags.