Tally Politics: A New Kind of Political Platform

I launched Tally Politics in June 2026 from my university room. This is why.

The Problem

Political discourse is broken. Social media algorithms reward outrage, sensationalism, and division. The loudest voices dominate, the most extreme takes get the most engagement, and genuine conversation about policy and ideas has been replaced by tribal point-scoring and even bots stoking division. Mainstream media, meanwhile, remains dominated by the same institutions, the same commentators, and the same perspectives it always has been. The result is a political landscape more polarised than at any point in recent memory, where people are not having real conversations about the issues that actually matter.

This was the frustration that led me to start Tally Politics. Not frustration with politics itself, but with what politics has become: a space where ordinary voices are drowned out by noise and where young people in particular have been left without a platform that takes them seriously.

The Disconnect

Youth disengagement with politics is not apathy. It is a rational response to a system that has consistently failed to listen. Only 30% of those aged 18 and under say they have learnt about politics in school or college, yet the government plans to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds. If we are asking young people to participate in democracy, we owe them a space where they can engage with politics meaningfully. Considering the government's incoming ban on social media access for young people, whilst at the same time social media being where young people get most of their political news, it is essential that there is a place young people can still access and learn about politics.

The issues that affect our generation the most, housing, education, the cost of living, mental health, are too often debated by people who have little personal stake in the outcome. When the conversation is shaped entirely by those who already hold power, it is unsurprising that those most affected eventually stop listening.

The Idea

What if there was a platform where anyone could contribute, regardless of background, experience, or political affiliation? Not a comments section. Not a social media thread. A proper publication where ideas are taken seriously, argued honestly, and put in front of an audience willing to engage with them.

That is what Tally Politics is. We are an independent, non-partisan political platform. We do not seek to patronise our readers or dictate to our writers what the important issues are. The issues that matter to young people are not decided by media corporations. They are decided by the people who live with them every day. Our aim is simple: give control of the political narrative back to ordinary people.

What We're Building

In the weeks since launching, the response has been extraordinary. We have built a growing team of writers from diverse political backgrounds, a dedicated editorial team ensuring the quality of everything we publish, and a Strategy and Ideas Team shaping the long-term direction of the platform. We are forming partnerships with university societies across the UK and working with student publications to broaden our reach.

But Tally Politics seeks to be more than a publication. Young people make up 19% of voters, yet only 2.8% of MPs are young people. If we want to encourage young people to be involved in policy, opinion alone is not enough. That is why we are building a dedicated Policy Team, producing well-researched, evidence-based policy proposals written by young people, with the genuine aim of influencing the decisions that shape our lives. This gives students the ability to make an impact outside the confines of a university society, and those who are not students the chance to engage politically in a way that did not exist before.

Make Sure Your Voice Is Tallied

We hope to collaborate with MPs, councillors, student societies, think tanks, charities, and anyone who believes in what we are trying to achieve. We are not here to tell you what to think. We are here to give you the space to think for yourself, and to make sure that when you do, someone is listening.