Class has ceased to be the dominant dividing line in British politics, with new research showing that age and education now play a far greater role in shaping political attitudes and voting patterns. The findings mark a profound shift in the social landscape of the United Kingdom, with implications for party strategies and electoral outcomes.
According to the latest British Social Attitudes survey, support for political parties is no longer strongly correlated with traditional markers of class, such as occupation or income. Instead, generational differences and levels of formal education have emerged as the most consistent predictors of political behaviour and worldview.
The study, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, found that younger, university-educated voters are more likely to identify with progressive values, favouring parties such as Labour, the Greens, or the Liberal Democrats. In contrast, older voters and those without higher education qualifications are more inclined to back the Conservatives or right-leaning parties.
This shift was already visible in recent general elections, but the latest data confirms it has become a stable and defining feature of British politics. “We’re witnessing a realignment,” said one of the report’s lead researchers. “Class still matters, but it no longer tells you reliably how someone is going to vote. Age and education now offer a clearer lens.”
The survey also revealed that political attitudes on issues such as immigration, social justice and climate policy are increasingly shaped by educational experience rather than economic background. Voters under 40 were found to be far more supportive of redistribution, environmental measures and minority rights than their older counterparts, regardless of income or social class.
Perhaps most strikingly, the report highlights record levels of support for electoral reform. For the first time since the 1980s, a majority of the British public now favours replacing the first-past-the-post system with a form of proportional representation. Support is highest among younger and more educated respondents, suggesting growing frustration with the perceived unfairness of the current electoral model.
This growing appetite for reform may increase pressure on the Labour leadership, which has thus far resisted calls to embrace proportional representation despite overwhelming support for the idea among the party’s grassroots members.
Political strategists from across the spectrum are already responding to these shifting dynamics. The Conservatives continue to double down on cultural and nationalist themes to maintain their base, while Labour is increasingly targeting younger, urban and university-educated constituencies. Smaller parties are also looking to exploit the cracks in the traditional two-party system.
As Britain approaches its next general election, these trends suggest that the political landscape will continue to be shaped less by class loyalty and more by the generational and educational contours of a deeply divided electorate.
REFH – newshub finance
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