Representations of Economic Inequality and Welfare Redistribution in UK Mainstream Party Programs, 2005–2024

Despite significant economic inequality, demands for redistribution in the UK remain limited, challenging models that assume a self-maintaining relationship between inequality and public demand. This paper critically examines how political communications shape public perceptions of economic inequality and redistribution. Analysing British mainstream party manifestos from 2005 to 2024, we employ an exploratory mixed-methods design combining quantitative keyword frequency analysis with qualitative thematic analysis derived in a dynamic epistemology. Our findings reveal that political discourse often reifies economic inequality as 'equality of opportunity' and contextualizes it through individual life-course narratives. Moreover, political parties—particularly on the left—have politicized economic inequality to build group identities and raise concern without promoting trust in solutions. These findings suggest that public perceptions and demands are shaped by politicization processes, emphasizing the dynamic role of political communication in shaping public opinion.