Andy Burnham's TikTok Strategy Could Help Keep Labour in Power by Re-engaging Young Voters
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/lucy-o-brien. "A TikTok PM may seem laughable – but reaching young people like me might just keep Labour in office | Lucy O’Brien | The Guardian." August 10, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that while PM Andy Burnham's silly-looking TikTok videos might seem embarrassing, they're actually a clever strategy to connect with young voters who are disillusioned with politics. She believes this approach could pay off for Labour long-term, but only if the social media charm is backed up by real policy substance—young people aren't naive enough to vote based on viral videos alone.
Conclusion
Andy Burnham's social media strategy of reaching young people on platforms like TikTok, while seemingly trivial, is a smart political move that could help keep Labour in government by rebuilding young people's trust in politics—provided it's backed by substantive policy.
Premises
- Young people (Gen Z) increasingly get their news and form political opinions through social media rather than traditional media, with 52% of 18-24 year olds globally using social media, video networks, and AI chatbots as their main news source
- Burnham's TikTok content, despite initial appearances of silliness, actually communicates substantive policy content (devolution, education strategy) in an accessible way, evidenced by high view counts and engaged comments
- Young people have become increasingly politically disillusioned since Brexit due to student debt, unemployment risk, and housing unaffordability, creating a need to rebuild trust
- This approach has precedent: Labour's 2024 social media strategy successfully mobilized young voters (41-45% of 18-29 year olds voted Labour)
- Starmer's failed attempt at TikTok (stuffy, ineffective style) shows that authenticity and relatability matter more than mere presence on the platform
- Getting young people to re-engage with politics and believe in it again is essential groundwork for sustained electoral support, even if social media popularity alone doesn't guarantee votes
Assumptions
- Young people are capable of distinguishing between entertaining content and substantive policy engagement (i.e., they won't be fooled by style over substance)
- Increased engagement/positive sentiment on social media translates into actual voting behavior and political support
- The current positive reception among the author's peers is representative of Gen Z more broadly, not just a self-selected or anecdotal sample
- Policy substance will actually follow the social media charm offensive, making the strategy sustainable rather than just a temporary PR win
- Political alienation among young people is primarily a communication/access problem rather than a deeper structural or ideological issue