How the UK political parties are attempting to win the general election on TikTok

With the upcoming general election coming up on July 4, campaigns from the different political parties are well underway.

Politicians want their message to reach as many voters as possible, and so TikTok is where the battle for views and likes is currently taking place.

That's despite the TikTok ban on UK government devices in March last year over data security concerns as Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden said at the time "The security of sensitive government information must come first," and describing the ban as "a prudent and proportionate step."

Although those concerns haven't changed, it's clear that leaders don't want to miss out on the political capital of utilising the platform for potential votes - after all, there are thought to be 23.3 million Brits using the app, according to Ofcom data in 2022.

Here's a run down of each party's TikTok accounts:

Conservatives

• Followers: 32,800
• Likes: 243,200

The Conservative's first TikTok video was of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak explaining his new (and controversial) policy that would see the return of national service for 18-year-olds if he were to win the election.

“Hi TikTok. Sorry to be breaking into your usual politics-free feed, but I’ve got a big announcement today and I’m told that a lot of you already have some views on it," Sunak said to the camera.

The video which now has over 2.5m views gained plenty of comments, all ranging from genuine questions to some both complaining or mocking the policy to which Sunak answered some of questions in follow up videos.

One video also consists of people reacting positively to their national service policy, which certainly raised eyebrows in the comments given most of the discourse has been meme-based.

They also attacked Labour figures in a photo slide titled "The Threat Files."

Labour

• Followers: 108,800
• Likes: 2.1m

The first video was just 11 seconds long, with leader Sir Keir Starmer saying: "Change. This is what this election is all about and if you want to be part of delivering that change, then vote change. Vote Labour," as supporters in the background then cheered.

Like the Tories, Labour too have explainer videos such as how the party would clear the NHS backlog and cut waiting lists as well as a photo slide show on his main policies.

But whoever is running the account is certainly on top of their meme and pop culture references to respond to the Tories' national service policy.

"Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make," Shrek antagonist Lord Farquaad said, while another vid with 4.5m views uses a clip from 1980s Cilla Black performing 'Surprise, Surprise,' where Labour added: "POV [Point of view]: Rishi Sunak turning up on your 18th birthday to send you to war.”

Liberal Democrats

• Followers: 1,805
• Likes: 30,000

For the party's first video, the Lib Dems showed off their battle bus for the campaign called Yellow Hammer 1 which leader Sir Ed Davey says is "for the blue wall."

"This election is our opportunity. Our chance to kick this out-of-touch Conservative government out of office. Our chance to elect great Liberal Democrat MPs to be strong local champions for their community," he added.

Of course, the party shared another clip of Davey falling off a paddleboard along with a clip of a drenched Rishi Sunak announcing the election and the on-screen text read: "Wetsuits not wet suits."

They've also dabbled in memes, using the Tobey Maguire ""How'd that get in there?" meme with a river backdrop to write: "Conservatives looking at the 3.6 million hours worth of sewage dumped into British rivers and seas last year."

Green Party

• Followers: 34,800
• Likes: 486,000

In their first TikTok since the election was announced, Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay set out their plans in a minute-long video, such as ending the housing crisis by building 150,000 homes and introducing rent controls, establishing a new nature act to protect the natural world, and reverse NHS privatisation.

"The general election has been called," Denyer said, as Ramsay continued: "And now voters across the country will have the chance to elect the next generation of green MPs."

Reform UK

• Followers: 125,000
• Likes: 1.3m

With news of the general election, Reform UK leader Richard Tice believes that the party is "ready" for it in the first TikTok video of the campaign.

"Reform UK is the party with the common sense policies," Tice said and when on to slam Rishi Sunak who got "drenched in the rain" during the election announcement.

"People know that the Tories have Broken Britain. Labour and Starmergeddon will do what they always do which is bankrupt Britain," he added.

In terms of content, Reform's videos range from presenters giving TikTok-friendly explainers with a TV studio backdrop, a lot from Honorary president Nigel Farage, and soundbites from both Tice and Farage from their media rounds.

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