A mature approach: How Labour can reconnect with older voters

Fabian Society research suggests 2 million older voters who did not support Labour in 2019 would consider doing so now. These voters will be key to deciding if the party wins the next election.

Older voters turned away from Labour after the party left office in 2010. In 2019, support from those aged 55 and over fell to a record low.

There will be no future Labour PM unless the party improves its performance with older voters.

But progress is being made. Our poll with YouGov in December 2021 found older voters were more likely than under-55s to believe that Labour has been moving in the right direction since Keir Starmer became leader.

To reconnect with older voters, Labour needs to rebuild trust to govern and offer a better future, grounded in mainstream British values. To do this, Labour should:

• Reassure on fiscal credibility and economic competence
• Provide clear and sincere leadership on immigration
• Set out a positive and unifying story about the future of our country under Labour
• Prioritise ‘security’ it all its forms – in the workplace, in local communities, and in an uncertain world