Out of reach?

Ali Strathern, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, said:
"This report should be a wake-up call to all mainstream politicians. While male disillusionment with the political mainstream has been in the spotlight in recent years, discourse around it has too often been superficial at best.

To take tackling men's disillusionment seriously, we need to start by listening to them.  

This research is an important first step in doing exactly that. It highlights the frustrations and priorities of men who feel the social contract is broken, and shows us it is a mistake to conflate the priorities of those who engage in violent misogyny online with the much larger group of men who are frustrated with the status quo. A larger group of men feel they exist in a society that does not listen to their concerns, speak to their aspirations, or reward their work.

These men tell us they feel they lack the agency to improve their lives. We need to shake our squeamishness about speaking to men's aspirations on their own terms. We must empower them to take back control and break the doom loop that says Britain’s problems - and by extension their own - cannot be solved.”

Luke Tryl, Executive Director of More in Common UK, said:
“The men most disillusioned with politics aren't primarily concerned with the cultural issues that dominate online debates - they want action on bread and butter concerns like the cost of living. But there's a deeper lesson here about rebuilding trust. These men feel politicians don't respect them or understand their lives, and they've lost faith in the social contract - the idea that hard work can lead to a decent life in Britain. The encouraging finding is that rebuilding trust is possible, but winning it back requires more than delivery alone. It means demonstrating respect for men' s contributions and restoring their sense of agency over their own lives.”

Who are the Disillusioned Men?

While disillusioned men are often painted as teenaged Andrew Tate supporters, it is middle-aged men who are the most disillusioned in Britain. This group exists far from the so-called metropolitan  elite - they are less likely than others to live in London or have gone to university. Disillusioned Men have a lower quality of life than other men - they are financially worse off, more socially disconnected and less happy. 

In an election tomorrow, Reform UK would take 53% of votes from Disillusioned Men, with the Liberal Democrats in second place and Labour in fifth.

What drives their disillusionment?

Underlying disillusioned men’s frustration with politics is a belief that a decent life where they can provide for their family is out of reach - and that changing that requires government support. Seven in ten Disillusioned Men feel that no matter how hard you work you will always struggle to have a comfortable life in Britain.

Disillusioned men feel their contributions are not respected

This group feels they have little control over their own lives, and looks to politics for intervention.

But Disillusioned Men do not feel represented or respected by those in power. Nine in ten say politicians do not care about areas like theirs or people like them.

They are therefore pessimistic that things will or even can get better. One in three believes even with the right political leadership Britain’s problems cannot be solved.

Disillusioned men's priorities are bread-and-butter issues

Despite the focus on distinct male attitudes on cultural issues as a driver of disillusionment, this group’s priorities are similar to the rest of the country - they most want to see improvement on bread-and-butter issues, starting with the cost of living.

Tangible economic outcomes that make their lives easier - such as cutting energy bills and reducing grocery costs - are more important to this group than others. Disillusioned Men are more concerned about migration - both illegal and legal - compared to other men.

For young men, cultural debates around gender play more of a role in their politics. They are concerned about false accusations of sexual violence, twice as likely as men from other generations to see this as one of the main problems facing men in Britain. The older Disillusioned Men meanwhile, focus their concerns on whether they can provide for their families and live a decent life.

Efforts to enable men to play the roles of protector, partner and provider may assure Disillusioned Men that they are capable of building a decent life, and give them confidence in a political system that makes this easier rather than harder.

Masculinity

Disillusioned Men feel unable to talk openly about men’s issues - nearly half say they can't talk about what it means to be a man with other men without fear of being criticised.

42 per cent of Disillusioned Men think politicians care more about women’s issues than men’s issues. Politicians acknowledging the specific challenges men face and validating their concerns may help these men feel more understood and represented by those in power.

Speaking to Disillusioned Men

Messengers seen as ‘straight talkers’ are most appreciated by this group - they favour people who say what they believe, even if people don’t like it. From a list of celebrities they would pick as Prime Minister, disillusioned men were more likely than other men to select Jeremy Clarkson and Danny Dyer. 

Leaders seen as strong and tough connect with Disillusioned Men. They are more likely than other men to consider strength and willingness to break the system to get things done as important attributes in a leader. Displays of strength may provide reassurance that those in power are actually in control and can make positive change in the country.