New report calls for politics to recognise and mobilise the power of communities

Full report: A Nation of Neighbours: Rebuilding Britain from the Ground Up.

As the contest for Makerfield’s parliamentary seat ramps up, we can see how voters are demanding a genuinely authentic politics rooted in real places and real change.

Many have sought to answer the question of how we fix Britain. Yet recent attempts from the top have never quite been able to fully capture the energy, the possibility. Nor fully recognise and respect its value. 

In their opening essays, A Nation of Neighbours, Polly Curtis and Marc Stears, Britain’s future does not need to lie in the doom and division of the headlines or the latest political plot, but in the quiet revolution of people simply getting on with it. A Nation of Neighbours is all about understanding how we can better deliver and describe the opportunity that this nationwide army of doers and innovators can provide our country.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Marc Stears, Director of the UCL Policy Lab, said, “For years now, the public have called for a politics that respects them and gives them agency over their lives. We see time and again that when people are respected and given real power, they do incredible things for one another and their communities. In the months to come, all politics – be it the campaign in Makerfield or for the Labour leadership – will be contested on this terrain. We urge the candidates to take it seriously”

Polly Curtis, Director of Demos, spoke of the need to tackle the deep distrust towards politics. "Trust in politics is broken. People no longer believe real change can come from Westminster, regardless of which party has the power seat. We need a fundamental rethink of who makes decisions about what. Because new faces at the top won’t be enough to restore faith in the system. What will, is a serious transfer of power to communities. Devolution, partnership and participation are the essential building blocks for an empowered population and a new, more optimistic Britain.

In the essay and research that follows, we hear about:

• The shift towards a politics rooted in everyday life and place, away from technocratic approaches
• Why more power and trust must be placed in the hands of our communities
• Policies and processes for sharing power with communities can open up a whole new way of solving our nation’s problems.

The report forms part of a major programme, Nation of Neighbours, led by the UCL Policy Lab and leading think-tank Demos, with Lloyd’s Bank Foundation, the report has been produced in collaboration with community organisations and grassroots bodies from across Britain.

From pioneering mental health support in Merseyside, to providing warm welcome spaces in local areas, people are innovating services and supporting their local areas. These localised approaches, rooted in experience and connection, not only tell a story of hope, but also stand as evidence to improved care, revived economies and stronger resilience in Britain’s neighbourhoods.

Stories include:

• Why focusing on place should come before party politics
• How institutions can support transformation in communities, with examples in Grimsby, by Emily Bolton, CEO of Our Future. 
• Examples of neighbourhood renewal from Stretford, Manchester through to Wood Green, London.
• How participatory approaches can shape democratic renewal, and tackle social, racial and climate injustices. 

For any leader who wants to rebuild trust and respect with ordinary people, they need to not ignore or treat communities as a barrier, but rather see them as the answer to the huge challenge of our times.

The report has been brought together with changemakers across the country. Joining the Nation of Neighbours programme includes:

• Inspiring community leaders, such as Lee Pennington of Open Door Charity, David Barclay of Warm Welcome Spaces, Afzal Hussain of Witton Community Lodge and Clare Wightman of Grapevine Coventry & Warwickshire.
• Prominent practitioners and community organisers, such as Maff Potts of Camerados, Emily Bolton of Our Future, Nick Plumb of Power to Change, Chrisann Jarrett of We Belong, Andy Jackson of We’re Right Here, and Tony Armstrong of Locality.
• Leading figures in national media including Anoosh Chakelian of the New Statesman, and Ros Wynne Jones of The Mirror.

Read the full report here.