Insurgent government: How to combat rising populism?

IPPR and The Conduit are hosting a joint events series on understanding the politics of today.

There is a growing sense of anger and disillusionment with politics among the public. This is perhaps unsurprising. People increasingly feel that democracy is no longer delivering the outcomes they care about such as high living standards, good jobs and safe communities. And, they feel that the process of democracy overlooks them, failing to give them voice and agency.

Some people are responding to this by disengaging: only half of the adult population voted in the recent general election – the lowest share of the population to vote since universal suffrage. Some are getting angry by either voting for populist causes or parties.

To break free from this cycle of instability, we need government to deliver real change for people up and down the country.

This event will explore what a comprehensive program for national renewal should look like in this parliament and how an ‘insurgent’ government can truly transform people’s lives to restore trust. Our panellists will discuss the actions the new Labour government must take to rebuild our public sphere, improve living standards for all and combat the rise of populism.

Speakers:

• Josh Simons MP, Member of Parliament for Makerfield and former director of Labour Together
• Rt Hon Michael Gove, former Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath and Secretary of State
• Professor Jane Gingrich, Professor of Social Policy at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention (DSPI), University of Oxford
• Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future
• Harry Quilter-Pinner, Interim Executive Director, IPPR

This event is by invitation-only. For more information, please contact Olivia Vaughan.

This event is part of our ‘Manifest’ series hosted by IPPR and The Conduit on understanding the big policy debates shaping the country. We’re exploring what promises the new government will make and whether they will be bold enough to manifest the change the country needs.

Past events have looked at the role of party manifestos and leadership. Future events will consider democratic justice, and economic and environmental justice.