Tribalism: A Fair Warning

Well, I am once again a member of the yellow political tribe, after rejoining the Liberal Democrats last month. This has led me to think a lot about the place of political parties and the impact of tribalism within democracy. In this article, I discuss tribalism and issue a warning to everyone who cares about a viable functioning liberal democracy.

I have been a member of a political party for most of my adult life. For most of that time I have been a member of the Liberal Democrats and I was briefly a member of the Green Party; it is safe to say that party affiliation has always been an important part of my political identity. As is the adversarial nature of British politics, I have occasionally fallen foul of petty tribalism myself and petty point scoring. Social media (especially Twitter) seems to exacerbate tribalist temptations. On reflection, what did my tribalism achieve? Arguably, very little, save a political ego boost. So, in part, this article is a warning to myself, as much as it is a warning to anyone else.

Liberals and progressives of all kinds have often critiqued nationalism and egoism for breeding hatred and selfishness. Tribalism is merely nationalism extrapolated to the level of political parties. It breeds mistrust, even hatred, towards other people for no other reason than that they are a member of another political tribe. The tribal mentality informs nationalism just as much as it informs party tribalism. It also informs the group egoism and privilege that informs many parties, especially parties which often exercise political power. The defence of tribe is as powerful within political discourse as it is dangerous.

Tribalism is poison in the veins of any liberal democracy. While competition between parties is vital to any multi-party democracy, tribalist mistrust and selfishness is corrosive to the political culture of any liberal democracy. If left unchecked, it can breed irreconcilable differences, differences that in time can breed extremism which can endanger a viable liberal democracy. It also breeds cynicism and mistrust towards politics and democracy amongst the general population, further making politics susceptible to forms of political extremism.

A liberal democracy can only survive as long as there is a degree of cooperation between its major political actors and a democratic consensus between the major political parties. No democracy can endure with irreconcilable differences with swathes of the population no longer trusting elected politicians or the institutions of democracy. Liberal democracy rests on its political actors being driven by the pursuit of the common good and the public interest. If they allow tribalism and the vested interest to get in the way of the common good and the public interest, it will undermine the very foundations upon which a healthy democracy rests.

In a true democracy, all citizens are political actors. Therefore, all citizens are responsible for their political conduct and are responsible for the type of democracy their conduct leads to. If you want a democracy that rests upon hate, cynicism and tribe; be hateful, cynical and tribal. If you want to democracy that is kind, cooperative and respectful; be kind, cooperative and respectful yourself. As free, rational political actors, we have political agency. We are responsible for our political actions, and we are responsible for the type of democracy that we create.

No political party has a monopoly on political wisdom or good policies. All democratic parties can learn from one another. Despite now being a Liberal Democrat again, I still admire other progressive parties. I deeply admire the Green Party (which I was briefly a member of). It has a vital role to play in combating the climate emergency and in campaigning for climate justice. Caroline Lucas continues to be my favourite non-Lib Dem MP. In Zack Polanski, the Greens have an exceptional Deputy Leader. I also admire progressive politicians across the Labour Party, as well as Labour’s sister party, the Co-operative Party. I have even admired moderate Conservatives in the past, such as Ken Clarke, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston (the latter two subsequently defected to the Liberal Democrats). I take inspiration from the Attlee and Wilson Labour governments of the past, as well as from the Macmillan Conservative government.

The first past the post voting system breeds adversarial politics through its winner takes all approach to elections. This helps to ingrain a zero-sum game approach within British politics. I believe that moving to proportional representation (preferably the single transferable vote) would lead to a strengthening of British political culture and would equally create a politics that is kinder, more collegial and more respectful. PR would naturally result in parties having to work together more often. You cannot be a supporter of multi-party liberal democracy and believe in a narrow range of viable political opinion. In a true liberal democracy, political opinion should be as wide as possible, with the exception of parties and political actors that advocate hatred towards minorities or violence. No liberal democracy should ever tolerate intolerance, for that has an even bigger corrosive impact on the foundations of liberal democracy than any form of party tribalism.

British politics needs to be more pluralistic and parties need to cooperate more. This is especially the case for progressive parties. I have long advocated for Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens to work together when and wherever possible. To this end, it is vital that at the next general election, all three parties campaign tactically to focus their resources on constituencies where they are best placed to unseat incumbent Tories. This must also be accompanied by the most sophisticated and wide-ranging tactical voting campaign ever seen in a British election. Tactical voting should actively be encouraged by all progressive parties due to the shortcomings of first past the post. It is also essential that all the progressive parties stand on a common platform of proportional representation, Lords reform, ending the climate emergency, opposing austerity and saving the NHS.

Let us be kinder and more respectful to our fellow democrats. While legitimate criticism and policy disagreements are essential for democratic political discourse, let us never stop trying to find the common ground between the parties. Let us strive for consensus and the common ground with the same righteous energy that we call out injustice, hatred and discrimination. Democracy ultimately rests upon a just and fair overlapping consensus between citizens and major political actors. Let’s build bridges of fairness, not walls of tribal intolerance.

In a liberal democracy, we have the freedom to speak, but that implicitly means that we have the freedom (even the responsibility) to listen to one another. In our social media age, we have mastered the prior and neglected the latter. A viable liberal democracy requires debate, but it equally requires dialogue. We must not lose sight of this. If you want a build a healthier, stronger, kinder democracy, then spend more time finding out what we have in common with each other politically, than on highlighting what we disagree on. It’s that simple!

An Emergency 10 Point Action Plan to Alleviate the Cost of Living Crisis

(Photo Credit: Fuel Poverty Action)

 

At the start of next week, Britain will have a new Prime Minister, most likely Liz Truss. A Truss government is likely to be the most right-wing government in decades, combining a dogmatic commitment to Thatcherite economics with a nationalist emphasis on the culture wars. But regardless, Britain faces the biggest cost of living crisis since at least the 1970s. We are witnessing two lost decades of living standard growth combined with inflation that could reach 22%.

 

At the start of next month, the average energy bill will rise by 80%. Millions of people, potentially tens of millions, are facing the very real prospect of fuel poverty this autumn and winter. Regardless of the neoliberal dogma of the new Conservative government, decisive state action is required to mitigate this cost of living crisis.

 

Here, I outline a 10 point action plan of emergency policies that the new Prime Minister needs to enact in the coming weeks in order to alleviate the impact of the cost of living crisis.

 

1. Freeze the Energy Price Cap

If the government goes ahead with the planned rise of the Energy Price Cap at the start of October, millions will be pushed into fuel poverty. Initially the Liberal Democrats, and now Labour too, have called for October’s rise in the Energy Price Cap to be scrapped. This should be financed by a new windfall tax on the profits of the big oil and gas companies. If the cap is allowed to rise, it will cause unprecedented social injustice and social hardship. This must be prevented. Freezing the rise in the Energy Price Cap would also have another beneficial side-effect, according to Labour, it would reduce inflation by 4%.

 

2. Extend the Energy Price Cap to all Households

Remarkably, not all households are protected by the Energy Price Cap. Housing association properties with communal heating are not covered by the cap. Many such properties are used to house elderly, vulnerable and disabled people. They are also the people who most require to heat their homes. The Energy Price Cap must be extended to all properties, especially all housing association properties and properties with communal heating.

 

3. Extend the Energy Price Cap to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Pubs have recently warned that they risk going out of business without further protection from the government. The same will be true for countless small businesses across the country. If the Energy Price Cap is not extended to all small and medium-sized businesses, then the cost of living crisis will rapidly become an economic crisis as thousands of businesses face going to the wall and going bust. The Energy Price Cap must therefore immediately be extended to cover all small and medium-sized businesses.

 

4. Extend the Energy Price Cap to Schools

We cannot allow schoolchildren to go cold this winter. Especially as school budgets are already highly stretched, as schools struggle to catch up from the impact of the pandemic. Having a warm and well-lit classroom is essential for the learning outcomes of schoolchildren. Anything that prevents schools from using energy this autumn and winter will have in adverse impact on children’s education. The Energy Price Cap must be extended to all schools.

 

5. Extend the Energy Price Cap to the NHS

The NHS is already in crisis. Its budget is stretched to breaking point. The service itself is beginning to become dysfunctional as waiting times spiral upwards. Morale in the NHS remains very low. The additional energy costs will stretch the NHS even further. This cannot be allowed to happen. The Energy Price Cap must be extended to cover the entirety of the NHS and the social care sector.

 

6. Rollout Mass Home Insulation

The climate emergency does not stop just because we are having a cost of living crisis. However, some green policies can help to address both. The government needs to urgently roll out the mass insulation of homes across the country. This would reduce individual households’ reliance on energy as they would be able to keep more of the heat they produce in their homes. This would both reduce carbon emissions and lead to lower energy bills.

 

7. Double the Household Support Fund

The Household Support Fund is an emergency fund delivered by local councils. The funding is used to help people struggling to afford food and to pay their energy bills. It targets the poorest and most vulnerable. Following calls from the Co-operative Party, the state must at least double the Household Support Fund in order to double the help for the people at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis.

 

8. Introduce a Weekly £30 Uplift to Universal Credit

During the pandemic, the government introduced a weekly £20 uplift for everyone in receipt of Universal Credit. In a subsequent shameful move, the government has since cut the £20 uplift. In order to give additional support for claimants receiving Universal Credit, a new £30 a week uplift needs to be introduced. The slightly higher amount is a reflection on rising prices and the rising cost of living.

 

9. Extend Free School Meals to all the Poorest Children

We cannot allow children to go hungry this autumn and winter. That is why free school meals must be extended to all the children of families where at least one parent or guardian is in receipt of Universal Credit. The Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords attempted to bring in this change, however the proposed amendment was opposed by the Conservatives, with most of Labour abstaining. This change must now happen. All of the poorest schoolchildren must receive free school meals.

 

10. Give all Adults a £500 Social Dividend Payment

In order to address the cost of living crisis, people need more money. On top of other measures already pledged by the government, the government must give every adult in the country a one-off social dividend payment of £500. A similar thing happened in America during the pandemic, when individuals were given up to $1,200. To ensure the maximum fairness of the policy, the dividend payment should be subject to income tax, meaning that those on higher incomes will have a proportion of their social dividend taxed back. This also makes the policy more affordable. A one-off £500 social dividend payment would be a vital lifeline for tens of millions across the country.

The England Football Team Have Shown Our Tory Establishment For The Plastic Patriots They Truly Are

I think for the first time in my life, I am truly proud to be English. What is even more surprising is that it is football that has inspired this sense of English national pride in me. Like 31 million other people, I watched the England versus Italy game in the Final of Euro 2020 on Sunday. I was very disappointed to see England lose, but I am still very proud of the performance of England's Men's Football Team.

 

It is no secret to say that I am not a huge football fan, to put it mildly. What impressed me the most about this England Team was not just its skill on the pitch or the fact that it had reached its first major football international Final since 1966, but the honour and decency of England, its players and its manager. Gareth Southgate is a model of leadership who could put every senior British politician to shame. He is honest, humble and takes responsibility for his actions. He leads by example and as a result he has the respect and admiration from both players and fans alike. Then there are the players, at the start of every game they have taken a knee in solidarity with black communities and all the victims of racism. The solidarity the Team showed to support Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, following the racist abuse they received following the Final, is an example for everyone to follow. Jordan Henderson during the tournament has been unafraid to act as a proud ally for England's LGBT+ fans, which included him wearing rainbow pride shoe laces during the matches.

 

The England Team of 2021 are true role models who make England proud. They lead by example and are unwavering in their support for oppressed communities. Marcus Rashford, true to his working class roots, managed to persuade the government to continue to fund free school meals during the holidays last year. His campaigning alone has done much to improve the living standards of many of the poorest children in our country. I hope the England Team of 2021 will have inspired millions of boys and girls in England and around the world, regardless of their ethnicity, sexuality or class.

 

The England Team through its actions both on and off the pitch have revealed an England which is both liberal and progressive. It is an England of which I am deeply proud of. Nothing epitomises this more than the showing of public solidarity for Rashford, Sancho and Saka following the racist abuse which they received.

 

A greater contrast could not be drawn between the actions of the England Team and their anti-racist supporters and the current Conservative government. Priti Patel referred to taking the knee as “gesture politics”, which was condemned by Tyrone Mings. Boris Johnson refused to condemn people for booing players for taking the knee. Our right-wing nationalist Tory government has even tried to downplay the impact of racism within contemporary British society. They are attempting to whip up transphobia and deny fundamental rights to transgender people. And they continue to deny social justice to the poorest and most vulnerable people in our country.

 

For so long, this Tory government has been attempting to whip up English nationalism in order to wage its own version of a right-wing culture war. As the historian, David Olusoga has pointed out, the England Team "risk exposing the false dichotomy that underpins the right’s culture war"... the "concerted campaign to present race and class as binary opposites". However, the England Team has revealed a positive, progressive English identity. One which equally challenges the social injustices faced by working class people and the racial injustices faced by black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities. This progressive English identity has always existed, but up until recent days it has lacked the means of expression on the national stage.

 

This has revealed the current Tory political class for the plastic patriots which they are. They do not care for the real England or the real United Kingdom. They turn a blind eye to racial injustice, they undermine the rights of trans people and they try and pit pro-European communities against Brexit communities. They continue to alienate the people of Scotland and seem oblivious to the looming political and diplomatic crisis on the island of Ireland over the Northern Irish border.

 

“Red Wall” areas (those constituencies in the North of England and the Midlands, with large levels of deprivation, who have historically voted Labour) are often lazily stereotyped as culturally conservative. Polling evidence from YouGov however, has shown that “Red Wall” residents are no more conservative than the average UK population. In fact, on many important issues, they have a slight liberal leaning. The overwhelming majority of “Red Wall” residents support action against climate change and support children being taught about Britain's colonial history, including the impact of the slave trade. Both environmentalism and highlighting the racial injustice of Britain's colonial past are two issues which right-wing nationalists would brand as “woke”. These are issues which despite the lazy conservative stereotype are also important to English “Red Wall” communities.

 

My England is a progressive England, which believes that Black Lives Matter, that transgender people should not be vilified for being who they are, and that poor working class schoolchildren should not be left to starve during a pandemic. Real English and British patriots stand up against injustice. All the union flags in the world cannot disguise the fact that Boris Johnson and his government are no patriots.