The “men’s vote” is up for grabs
Hot on the heels of the US Presidential Election, the blame game started within the Democrats and the commentariat as to who and what was to blame. In a world where there remains a predominant political narrative of “All women have problems, all men are/create problems” it has been an easy answer to blame men.
Not just for not wanting to vote for Harris because she is a woman but also because they have turned to a more regressive form of populist politics in Trump. Overall 54% of men voted for him as did 44% of women.
There has been a huge amount of welcome pushback on this. Something that people like myself who have been involved in public policy on men’s health for well over a decade have never seen. Leading thought leaders in this space such as Richard Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, has made the case (including on the Today Programme on Friday) that men, especially young men, have not moved away from gender equality. That men have not moved to the right, it is more that the progressive left has moved away from them.
The point being that the Democrats ignored issues that face men (suicide, education, blue collar jobs) while Trump did at least refer to challenges facing men albeit with no actual policy) is telling. The Democrats’ website says that they will serve 15 different groups, “men” is not on that list.
The issue is whether the same phenomena may happen in the UK. Either in terms of a shift to the right (predominantly Reform at the moment) or to any party that proactively addresses the issue men here face.
For instance, the male suicide rate in England is highest this century with over 5,000 male suicides across the UK every year. Over 200,000 young men in England are unemployed and 35,000 fewer 18-year old boys go to university every year than girls of the same age. You can fill Wembley Stadium with the number of men in prison and with an economy that seems stagnant, concerns over jobs, skills, and the impact of AI are gnawing away at the back of the minds of many men – especially lower skilled men.
Results of the three of the last four national elections are hard to read politically with respect to gender issues as they were dominated by larger scale narratives.
On Brexit 55% of men voted Leave (49% women). In the 2019 General Election, again dominated by Brexit (and Corbyn's electability), 47% of men voted Conservative, compared to 42% of women. 29% of men voted Labour, compared to 37% of women.
In 2024 an election dominated by wanting rid of the Conservatives come what may, YouGov polling showed that 17% of men voted Reform (12% women), 23% Conservative (26%), 12% Liberal Democrats (13%) and 34% Labour (35%). Fewer younger men voted Reform than older men. The difference in the general vote for Reform may suggest on the surface that more men were right leaning but this can be countered by the female Conservative vote and the male Labour and Liberal Democrat vote seeing the same. Each election erodes widely regarded stereotypes on voting patterns with the electorate being more fluid with respect to their vote.
This means that if there is a more settled (that is, no dominant single issues) political picture in 2028/2029, there is an opportunity for one or more of the parties to capture more of the men’s vote. This is by putting some focus (without losing focus on women and girls’ issues) on issues facing men and boys’ and show they are on their side or at the very least publicly recognising their challenges. And then keep talking about it (Theresa May in her first address as Prime Minster made the point about the lack of white working class boys going to university and then never said it again, let alone do anything).
There is a political blank canvass here both in narrative and policy terms – so opportunities abound. And there are some easy wins too. A men’s health strategy; prostate cancer screening programme; improving boys’ relative performance at school; more vocational training for those unemployed young men; better paternity pay; equal parental leave, and, even a named Minister in the Government with a responsibility for men and boys’ issues (Minister for Men and Boys).
And remember, as Richard Reeves also says, “You can think two thoughts at once” so the need to support women and girls’ can and should be done at the same time. It is also female-friendly. For instance, speaking to mums about how they want to support their boys in doing better at school is never going to be a vote loser.
The male vote is up for grabs. so if any of the parties want to capture more of the male vote over the coming years, the lesson from America is clear. Recognise men and boys as a distinct group that needs support, speak regularly about those issues and put forward a policy programme. Those parties that do not, when others do, then cannot complain, as the Democrats and US commentariat have done, when not enough men vote for them.
Mark Brooks OBE is a public policy adviser who specialises in men's health and inclusion. He is the policy adviser for the APPG on men and boys’ issues and has published a “Men’s health strategy for England” policy paper.
