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Amid the hope-drenched rhetoric of our new prime minister, Andy Burnham, is an acknowledgment: for far too many, Britain isn’t working. We need to debate if government can fix it – or can we?
‘Shattered’, ‘broken’, ‘in managed decline’. Whatever the term used, the exasperating everyday experience of millions is of a country that fails to function as expected. This is not simply about failing to build homes, airports or reservoirs, tackle crime or get to grips with an out-of-control welfare system. More fundamentally, patience is wearing paper thin with a political class that appears to be not just incompetent but positively indifferent to the needs and aspirations of its citizens. Consequently, a core question running through this festival is the future of the social contract: what becomes of that foundational relationship between state and citizen when the reciprocal obligations that bind society together seem on the point of collapse?
THE STATE VS THE PEOPLE?
When Andy Burnham entered No.10 promising to ‘do politics differently’, many worried about accepting such assurances on trust. So at the festival, we can – and will – debate what ‘Manchesterism’ actually means, and whether it extends beyond TikTok vibes. But on many thornier issues, the state seems implicated in the problems we face. It has been revealed that a former Hamas leader was granted UK citizenship before allegedly plotting a major terror attack against Jews in Europe. Then, just a day later, the home secretary announced plans to prioritise asylum for Palestinians. It is hardly surprising that many question whether the public’s real grievances are being heard. After years of scandals and tragedies involving failing public agencies – from the police to the NHS – how should citizens respond to a state seemingly in breach of its obligations?
We are living through a period of political realignment, although what that means is a matter for us to debate. Certainly, changing times have generated a plethora of new terms, from ‘grievance culture’ and ‘FAFO’ to ‘doom loops’. ‘Suicidal empathy’ captures a growing concern that, in the name of compassion and fairness, misguided progressive causes can end up elevating favoured groups over others – criminals over victims, immigrants or even terrorists over local communities and ordinary citizens. Is Elon Musk right that empathy has become the ‘fundamental weakness of Western civilisation’? Others worry that in the rush to criticise progressive ‘hyperliberalism’ we risk sacrificing the very secular Enlightenment values that formed the fundamental building blocks of modern societies, from moral autonomy to toleration. Can we – should we – make the case for liberalism anew?
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY AND THE NATIONAL INTEREST
For many, the biggest challenge is now democracy itself. Those in power seem increasingly determined to keep the lid on controversial issues and challenges to their authority. The announcement of a National Centre for Information Defence does little to dispel concerns about ‘narrative control’, whereby major questions become subject to prescriptions from established guardians of truth. Favoured mainstream media are promoted, while controversial opinions face algorithmic suppression.
Perhaps part of the problem is confusion about the nation state – the basis of any functioning democracy – and how to articulate the national interest. Where the Brexit vote demanded we ‘take back control’, failure to deliver opens the door to those keen to return to the EU. Meanwhile, fragmentation within the UK continues: from Manchesterism to metro mayors, the government trumpets its flagship policy of devolution. But what happens when devolved leaders challenge the future of the Union? Many took heart from the Piddington independence referendum as kicking back. But what of the Green Party leaders of Lewisham Council asserting their right to act alone – in this case, withholding demographic data from the Home Office? Is this really ‘power to the people’, or an acknowledgement that the centre can no longer hold out against accelerating fragmentation?
We need to be honest: resistance can raise difficult questions. Are new forms of action – from attempts to repel small boats to pro-Palestinian direct action – themselves corrosive of democratic consent? Or do they represent a civic response from sections of society that feel ignored by established politics? What forms of dissent remain legitimate?
TIME FOR NEW THINKING
Whatever the problem, too often politics favours technical fixes or harping back to old models – nationalisation, constitutional tinkering, electoral reform, institutional re-engineering and endless new laws, many aimed at restricting freedoms. What is missing in these debates is us – the demos. Genuine democracy means more than putting an X in a box. It should mean the fullest discussion of all issues that matter. That’s why this festival’s programme ranges widely, from cultural boycotts to womb transplants, the rise of the femosphere to the trashing of valued rural traditions.
The Battle of Ideas is democracy in action: a place where political conflicts, cultural clashes and moral dilemmas are debated rather than simply managed. Too often, contemporary societies shy away from difficult questions, while the answers are assumed in advance – or imposed from above. Not here.
At this, the original free-speech festival, the mottos FREE SPEECH ALLOWED and FREE THINKERS WELCOME apply. Here, speaking your mind and arguing freely are treated not as dangerous indulgences, but as essential. Look through the programme and you will find topics deemed off-limits elsewhere, but presented here as opportunities for people to have their say.
So use the festival to escape any intellectual silos or political tribes. Engage with the issues – and with those who disagree with you. Relearn the fine art of disagreement… and perhaps some worthwhile consensus on tricky issues will follow.
Let the Battle commence.
Alastair Donald and Ella Whelan
co–convenors, Battle of Ideas festival
FOR FULL DETAILS OF OUR PROGRAMME, SPEAKERS AND TICKETS, VISIT THE BATTLE OF IDEAS FESTIVAL WEBSITE.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
SPECTATOR EVENT: THE FREE SPEECH DEBATE
Emmanuel Centre, London · Monday 12 October • 7.00 PM - 8:30 PM
Join The Spectator for another instalment in its popular debate series where the debaters will tackle the question: does Britain still have free speech?
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Britain has been a bastion for freedom of expression for centuries – but can the country still claim that title today?
There are now countless examples of free speech being suppressed: from arrests for social media posts and the ‘shadow banning’ of online accounts, to sackings for expressing opinions at work and the shutting down of public protests. Police arrest around 22 people a day for speech offences, but a mere 16 people for fraud.
Many argue that there are legitimate boundaries to free speech that must be enforced to prevent ‘harm’ – but where should the line be drawn?
Join The Spectator to debate the motion: This house believes Britain no longer has free speech. Kelvin MacKenzie, former editor of the Sun, and Kellie-Jay Keen, the women’s rights campaigner, will propose the motion, with Jonathan Sumption, the former Supreme Court Justice, and Ed Vaizey, politician and commentator, opposing. Who will persuade you? Come along and find out.
The Next Generation with Baroness Fox of Buckley
Tuesday 13 October · 23 Great Smith Street, London
Join Claire Fox at the Adam Smith Institute Next Generation drinks. Claire will be discussing Why Free Speech Matters. She’ll explore the increasingly stifling atmosphere of modern political discourse and unpack why the right to challenge ideas without constraint is essential for a democratic society. Her talk will explore how Westminster can resist institutional conformism and foster a culture of genuine, robust debate.
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As almost every pathway to political and social change must involve the law and the legal system, it is critical that the people looking for beneficial permanence, engage the services of a legal team capable of rooting out why free speech, immigration, the penal system etc etc etc are so perverted. Remember, Tony Blair and the fabian society have a lot to answer for.