Welcome to the battleground of the meme war in the UK general election! The moment the election was called on May 22, social media platforms were flooded with hilarious and attention-grabbing memes from both the Labour and Conservative parties. From Labour’s viral TikTok using the iconic Cilla Black’s “Surprise! Surprise!” to mock the Conservative’s plan for mandatory national service at 18, to the Tories’ blank slide video mocking Labour’s policies, the meme game has been strong.
Even Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party have joined in on the fun, adding their share of memes to the mix. The competition has been fierce, with the two leading parties engaging in a playful back-and-forth “trolling” on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X.
“The shitposters have gone mainstream,” remarks political strategist Jack Spriggs from Cavendish Consulting, emphasizing TikTok’s influence on politics.
But not everyone is amused by the meme war. Gen Z voters, in particular, have had a mixed reaction, with some finding it entertaining and others deeming it infantilizing. “They’re trivializing a very serious event,” says 20-year-old voter Maya Hollick from London.
Despite the criticism, the Labour Party has embraced TikTok wholeheartedly, launching its account immediately after the election date was announced. With over 200,000 followers and countless viral videos, Labour’s TikTok presence has been influential. According to Hannah O’Rourke from Campaign Lab, the real power of TikTok lies in its ability to spread content far beyond the platform itself.
“A meme is Labour’s way of getting somebody to look into party policy,” O’Rourke explains, pointing to the success of Labour’s Cilla Black TikTok.
We also caught up with students from the University of Bristol, where Labour and the Green Party are leading contenders in the Bristol Central constituency, a hotspot for young voters. Ed Sherwin, a 20-year-old student, expressed skepticism about the usefulness of memes in influencing political views. Other students, like Charlie Siret from Extinction Rebellion Youth Bristol, criticized the oversimplification and lack of self-awareness in party memes.
Grace Shropshire, 21, argues that young people are more intelligent than memes give them credit for and should not be patronized with simplistic marketing tactics. Alisha Agarwal, a marketing student, appreciates Labour but wishes for a more nuanced campaign approach.