Some of the comments in response to the Guardian article:
“What is Keir Starmer doing to push back the populists? Not nearly enough. We have a plan to take them on” – Chris Powell
Letter to the Editor (Guardian)
In Chris Powell’s Opinion piece on how to push back populists, and in the accompanying website winningagainstpopulism.com he and Cowan provide the bare bones of a ‘playbook’ based on extensive global evidence of strategies that have proven effective in winning elections against populists.
However, the major question posed and left unanswered is what there is on a European level on the anti- populist side that can go into the ring against the organisation and resources of the Trump foreign policy, Steve Bannon and the reinvigorated Conservative Political Action Conference. Could an answer to this come from within the EU, who, whilst they cannot support political parties, can fund groupings who share an ideology and can also promote EU values of democracy, rule of law and human rights ? The advantage being that given that time is of the essence doing this through an existing structure could be advantageous.
Yours etc
Ross Barr – Berwickshire
Dear Sir
Sir Chris Powell’s warning should be taken very seriously.
The political landscape of Britain is undergoing rapid and profound change. The vote shares for the Labour and Conservative Parties are in decline and support for the alternatives, the Greens, Lib Dems and Reform, is growing. Voters are increasingly seeing them as movements capable of achieving significant levels of political representation and even grasping power. In our First Past the Post electoral system this makes the result of the next General Election very difficult to forecast.
One of the possible outcomes is success for Reform UK, a party whose leader has expressed admiration and support for Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Marine le Pen. Nigel Farage may claim to be a man of the people but his choice of friends tells us that he holds democracy in contempt.
Following the example of his buddy, Trump, he campaigns with lies, distortion and undeliverable promises and, once in power, will seek to change our systems and institutions so as to give him a permanent and anti-democratic advantage. Like Trump, Farage is a formidable campaigner – indeed, it is his only discernible skill – and assuming that Reform’s polling will weaken as an election approaches and he, his colleagues and their policies come under closer scrutiny, may prove to be a fatal error.
There is an urgent need to challenge Reform’s lies and distortions vigorously and, as Chris Powell suggests, fight fire with fire. The ‘Resistance’ is further ahead across the Atlantic and there are lessons to be learned from such as Andy Beshear and Stacey Abrams, who, in ways relevant to their voters, have achieved success in states not normally hospitable to Democrats.
An even better example is Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor of New York City. Although a liberal city, New York has had a Republican mayor as recently as twelve years ago and for Mamdami, a Muslim socialist, to come from nowhere at the start of last year to win comfortably was a stunning achievement. The Labour leadership should learn lessons from his success, which was built on:
Moving beyond traditional establishment politics and appealing directly to voters with clear, bold, relevant and memorable policies rather than seeking elite endorsements, being guided by major donors and relying on generic messaging.
Focusing on turnout and demographics – changing who turned up to vote and activating and energising new and younger voters.
Building a very effective grassroots organisation with an emphasis on presenting his policies as relevant to their local everyday concerns.
Reaching out digitally using vertical videos and social platforms to break through crowded media noise and reach the voters who mattered to him.
The good news is that we know that Farage is easily rattled when challenged.
Tim Hailstone – Stoke Fleming
Dear Sir
This is the biggest political issue of our times – the rise of populism and how to directly counteract it.
It needs to be addressed directly using evidence and objective analysis. This is exactly what the independent evidence based analysis by David Cowen and Sir Chris Powell called “Seven Learnings to stem the Populist tide” does. This should be the basis of all centrist party’s strategies.
Adrian Hosford – Kent