Yeah, people literally said as much on the doorstep

E.g. on tax, rather than say 'well a wealth tax wouldn't raise enough money' you would say something along the lines of 'we all need to play our part and contribute to rebuilding our public services' and make it about the type of society we want to live in.

For me the answers are no (for the most part), and yes.

It's partly because we've had political projects that see economic policy as separate from a civic ideal rather than shaping it - technocratic at heart.

Hard to ask something of people on shaky foundations you've not tried to repair.

Not hard to see how you could do that where Labour is being challenged by Reform...

What's missed in analysis of effective politicians in the new media environment is that they tend to have a stronger social basis than more establishment politicians. It's the digital + social roots + listening that's compelling - away from politics by diktat, in tune w. who you want to represent.

Nice - will check out!

Also think there is a piece to be written on how (and why) almost all major roads in British politics in 2025 lead back to the Barking-Dagenham-Romford triangle.

Yeah I think this already happening - though have been referring to it as the Bosh Wars.

What is most striking is that both 'anti-system' parties believe they can make electoral hay with this disaffected groups. See Zack Polanski's party conference speech ⬇️

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

This Geoff Mulgan piece gets at this, with argument and disagreement being core to political and ideological renewal substack.com/home/post/p-...

So I think it may indicate something about the political culture of centre-left parties and politics today outside of any one faction and a broader need to rediscover the art of disagreeing with each other productively.