UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer turns to TikTok to engage young people, despite the app being banned on most government devices.
As reported by The Telegraph, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has launched a TikTok account and an online blog to “find new ways” to reach voters.
What did Keir Starmer say in his first TikTok video and Substack post?
The Prime Minister’s first TikTok video showed him and Lady Starmer turning on the Downing Street Christmas lights and urging viewers to “follow me.”
Keir Starmer has also launched a newsletter on Substack, where he pledged to post “regularly,” explaining “why we are doing what we are doing.”
Mr Starmer’s move to join TikTok is viewed as an effort to engage younger voters, as Reform UK and the Greens target the youth vote.
The Labour leader acknowledged the policies are funded through tax increases, which politicians generally avoid, but argued this was preferable to cutting public services or borrowing more.
Mr Starmer explained that he had started the new blog because,
“Communication is changing and I want to be part of that”,
adding,
“People have a right to know how decisions that affect them are taken and why. And I believe all politicians should explore innovative new ways to do that.”
He said,
“So in this Substack that’s what I will be doing. Showing you a little bit of what life is like in Number 10. But mainly just explaining the various decisions I take to try and create that Britain which is built for all.”
In his debut Substack post, the Prime Minister highlighted Labour’s new Child Poverty Strategy, published last week. The new plan includes measures to remove the two-child benefit cap and increase childcare support, following pressure from left-wing MPs.
The Prime Minister stated,
“Welcome to the first post on my brand new Substack newsletter. You’re probably wondering why I’m here. I’ll get into it in more detail below, but the long and short of it is that I’m always looking for new ways to explain why we are doing what we are doing.
Mr Starmer said,
“I’m not going to send you something at the same time every week, but I do intend to post here regularly. So do subscribe to get those updates.”
He added,
“I wanted my first post here to be about something important. And I’m not sure if there is anything more important to this Labour Government than giving our children the best start in life. So today, when we launched our Child Poverty Strategy, seemed like the right moment to post.”
The Labour leader continued,
“Read on to hear about what we’ve done and why we’ve done it. And do subscribe to keep up to date!”
What did Downing Street say about Keir Starmer joining TikTok?
Downing Street defended the Prime Minister’s move to join TikTok, while noting the app remains banned on official government-issued devices.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said,
“We are intent on reaching audiences where they are and communication is changing and people have a right to know about the decisions that the Government is taking and affect them and why and how that is.”
They added,
“And TikTok is simply another way to do that and reach that wider audience. The PM is not the only world leader who uses Tiktok. As of this morning, I think the French president, the Italian prime minister, and the New Zealand prime minister are among others who also use Tiktok.”
Why are ministers turning to TikTok and social media to reach voters?
Ministers are banned from using the Chinese-owned app TikTok on official phones, though use on personal devices is allowed.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has started his own TikTok account to promote his government initiatives. The shift to new platforms aligns with Downing Street’s push to increase online reach and collaborate with social media influencers.
On 26 November, at the Chancellor’s pre-Budget speech, two TikTok creators specialising in personal finance were given front-row seats.
According to a government source, Labour aims to make this approach the norm, saying engaging those who don’t follow traditional media is “crucial as we rebuild trust.”
What did recent polls reveal about youth support for the Greens and Reform UK?
Earlier this month, a Find Out Now survey showed the Greens leading Labour by four points, while an October poll indicated that Reform UK had strong support among Gen Z men.
The October poll found that 31% of men aged 16 to 25 would back Reform UK leader Nigel Farage if a general election were held, raising concerns that lowering the voting age could hurt the Prime Minister.
Which UK Prime Minister banned TikTok on Government devices?
The former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak banned TikTok following a security review in March 2023. The decision was publicly communicated by Oliver Dowden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and a senior Cabinet Office minister.
This policy is specific to official government devices and does not apply to personal phones used by ministers, employees, or the general public.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and the UK officials are now using it to promote government initiatives.
