UK election turnout expected to be lowest in more than 20 years

Turnout in the UK general election was predicted at 60 percent, according to the BBCclose to a historic low, a shift that seems to reflect disillusionment with mainstream politics.

Keir Starmer became prime minister in a landslide victory on Thursday, sweeping the Conservatives out of power after 14 years. The result had been widely expected, a factor that may have prompted some voters to stay home.

But the low turnout underscores the huge challenge facing Mr Starmer, who takes over at a time when many Britons are sceptical about the government’s ability to fix the ailing National Health Service, revive the flagging economy and improve access to public services, which have suffered deep cuts over the past decade.

A turnout of 60 percent would be the second lowest in a British election since 1885. In 2001, when Prime Minister Tony Blair was re-elected for a second term, turnout was around 59 percent.

Turnout at the last general election in 2019, at 67.3 per cent, was the second highest since 1997, when Mr Blair came to power in a landslide. In the 2019 election, the age group least likely to vote was between 18 and 24, while people over 65 were the most likely to vote.