‘Labour are losing young voters – how can they fix this?’

Britain has hit the multi-party era but why are young people leaving Labour behind?YouGov polling shows the Greens soaring to 38%, compared to Labour’s 26% for 18 to 24 year olds.

Many have found Green Leader Zack Polanski’s eco-populist approach enticing and for many young people he offers a sense of relief and strategy, especially in areas where Labour is falling behind. Polanski is successfully tapping into a core resentment to the main issue facing huge numbers of young people – the cost-of-living crisis. Key policies include nationalising key industries to lower bills, building affordable housing and rent controls, and a tax on the wealthiest in society to fund it all.

Polanski’s message is cutting through, while Labour’s successes are barely even heard by members, never mind the general public. Despite six in ten Britons supporting stronger rights for renters, the Renter’s Rights Act failed to change polling trends, with the Greens still soaring. This signals just one thing – something is going wrong.

READ MORE: ‘To win back trust, Labour needs a clear dividing line on tax’

The messaging from the Government appears lost in the noise of the social media age. The changing of strategy from the “five missions” to the “six milestones” has been confusing for any voters who are aware of it – which isn’t many. It is partly the reason why Polanski seems such a good alternative. Whether people like him or not, people know what he stands for; the same cannot be said for Labour.

However, all hope is not lost.

Parties on the progressive left are signalling that despite all odds elections can be won on a strong, positive message. This is where Labour can change its course.

In the United States of America, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) did not just win the Democratic Party Primary to be the New York Mayoral candidate, but went on to win the election. Zohran Mamdani was the first candidate to win with over one million votes since 1969. The main issue he focused on: the cost-of-living. 

With his strong social media campaign, Mamdani appeared down-to-earth, relatable, and as someone with a clear plan. Labour should be taking notes, especiallyas exit polls suggest Mamdani won the majority of young people’s votes. 

Similarly, a centre-left party in the Netherlands (D66) has gone on to win the most seats in the 2025 Dutch General Election. 

In the Netherlands, it is often hard for a party of any political affiliation to have a breakthrough, with the system being split between many different parties. Despite these difficult odds, D66 added 10% to their vote share in 2025 compared to the 2023 General Election.

Currently, it appears that Rob Jetten will be the next Dutch prime minister. Similar to Polanski and Mamdani, he ran an optimistic campaign that did not fear taking on the far-right with his “progressive patriotism”. Especially in an era where the lines between patriotism and nationalism is being blurred, Jetten showed that a positive message can cut through to the hearts of voters and rally them behind a real patriotic message of renewal.

Unsurprisingly, D66 campaigned to keep energy prices down, progress towards greener energy, and emphasised the importance of education. 

Just next door to the UK, Ireland has seen the rise of socialist Catherine Connolly, who is now the President-elect. 

Endorsed by a left-wing coalition of social democratic parties, the Greens and Sinn Féin, Connolly won a decisive victory. Her campaign, like Polanski’s, focused on her anti-establishment beliefs hoping to unite the left. Though the role is broadly ceremonial, her win signals that Labour needs to energise left-wing progressives behind the Government, rather than opposed to it.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

Finally, a nation that does not always fall into the geopolitical ‘Western bloc’ is Mexico, but lessons are still be learnt. 

A month before Labour swept the country with their first election victory since 2005, Claudio Sheinbaum won 61% of the vote share and became Mexico’s President. Over a year on, Starmer has only 22% of 18 to 24 year olds believing he is doing his job “well”, while Sheinbaum sits comfortably at 71% with the same age group. 

In Mexico, the President gives a morning press conference, colloquially known as the mañanera. This has allowed Sheinbaum’s party (Morena) to control the daily political narrative; realising that the media was combative towards them. Therefore, by setting the daily agenda for political discussion, Morena steers the media to discuss issues that are important for the President. It also acts as a way of directly communicating to the public, rather than having to use the media as a third party bridge between public and President.

When Labour is scrutinised for their first year in Government, it is easy to see why criticism often comes their way. But this doesn’t have to remain the case.

By learning from other nations, Labour can begin to turn the tide and win young people back over. A shift away from culture wars, towards discussion about issues that will make a tangible difference to young people (cost-of-living, climate change, wealth disparity) would allow Labour to begin to emerge as the natural home for left-wing voters in 2029. Pairing this with new forms of communication, such as strengthening their social media campaign and a morning press briefing, would allow Labour to take back control of the narrative.

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

Sinking in the polls will always be difficult for any party, but Labour needs to take control of these challenging times. Showing that they are a strong, united party with a clear message to sell and new ways of delivering it is what is important moving forward as the ‘Party of Government’. 

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].