The None of the Above Election

Why neither of the UK's big parties are inspiring voters

Matt Goodwin’s Substack goes to more than 32,000 subscribers in 151 countries each week. This is part of our State of the Race coverage of the 2024 UK general election. To access all of our pieces on the election including round-ups of the latest polling, exclusive polls of our own, the full archive, the ability to leave comments and join the debate upgrade now.

If the UK’s 2024 general election looks set to be remembered for anything then it will likely be remembered as the ‘None of the Above’ election. Neither Left nor Right, neither Keir Starmer nor Rishi Sunak, are inspiring the masses. Just look at what we’re seeing in the latest polling on the state of the race so far.

It’s certainly true that the Labour Party holds a commanding if not overwhelming lead in the polls. This week, across all of the opinion polls that were conducted after Rishi Sunak announced the general election, the Labour Party averaged a 20-point lead —more than enough for a majority government.

But look a little closer, look under the bonnet, and you’ll soon find that the real story is not one of Keir Starmer and Labour inspiring the masses but, instead, one of alienation and apathy. Millions of voters are looking at Left and Right, at Labour and the Tories, at Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, and thinking to themselves ‘no, thanks’.

Look, for example, at Labour’s efforts since the start of the race to frame the 2024 general election as a ‘change election’ —a unique opportunity for the British people to finally get the change they desperately desire in Westminster.

It all sounds well and good.

But now look at what the pollsters YouGov asked the British people this week. “Which political party best represents change?” While Labour lead the Tories, on 34% to their 10%, the real story here is that the most popular answer among voters was “neither of them” —with more than half the country rejecting the notion that either of the big parties represent a change of direction.