It's something of a mixed bag when it comes to young people and politics, with their interest in politics going up and down. There were some peaks between 2013 and 2016 that happened to coincide with the rise of UKIP and the Brexit referendum. It was an unpredictable time in British politics, and it got a lot of young people paying attention. But since then their interest has waned – and the pandemic apparently did little to change that.

Perhaps you’re wondering if recent political events have suppressed that interest further, or sparked some new curiosity. It's a wait-and-see game.

Even though they might not be all that into party politics, young people are finding other ways to flex their democratic muscles. Some are attending protests, signing petitions, and generally getting involved in social and political causes. One global survey said two thirds (66%) of Gen Z believe that sharing is a form of activism,¹ which makes sense given their comfort in the digital world. It gives them a unique platform to make some noise and push for change.²