Lies and disinformation
Most insidious and difficult to deal with is the increasing prevalence of disinformation, particularly on social media. The Online Safety Act (2023) prohibits “inciting violence” and “racially or religiously aggravated public order offences”, but does not tackle subtler forms of misinformation which were widely used, for example, to benefit Reform UK in the run up to the last election.
Some solutions are obvious – why is Labour or anyone else still using X, if the platform is regarded as compromised, before some form of control is implemented to stem misinformation?
Misinformation is not a new problem. Mark Twain reportedly said that “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes”, although here the irony is whether the attribution itself is correct.
Of more certain provenance is Johnathan Swift’s 1710 comment that “Falsehood flies, and the truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late; the jest is over, and the tale has had its effect”.
Research at MIT has shown that fake news on social media spreads further and up to 20 times faster than the truth, this being particularly so when the stories are political. This is a result of mainly human actions rather than automated “bots”. However, because a difference is seen not only in their spread but also in peripheral characteristics, “bots” can distinguish between the two and allow the fake stories to be stopped.
Here, a conversation on the implications for free speech would be necessary and there would need to be the political will to enforce restrictions. Spain is introducing a bill to tackle fake news; will our government have the courage to do the same?
The left behind
A Guardian survey looking into the people involved in this summer’s riots found that most of those arrested were local to the neighbourhoods where the riots took place – local people who felt they had nothing to lose.
Two hardcore far-right, so-called sports clubs – Active Club Scotland and Active Club England – have international connections with other US and European extreme far-right groups. They are described by a Hope Not Hate researcher as “building a capacity for violence and imagining a future where violence is necessary”. Spontaneous riots in which mainly local people are involved may be augmented by such groups or even provoked by them.
However, in combatting the far-right it is fatal for politicians to attempt to undermine these groups by moving to the right since, as the Tories have found, you can never move far-right enough. There will always be a hardcore far-right contingent. What is crucial is to ensure that their support is minimal by preventing lies and misinformation and recognizing that the majority who voted for a far-right candidate are reasonable people who no longer believe that the established politicians have any interest in them. Like all of us, they want sufficient means to live, stability, and security. However, they will accept simplistic answers if these are not challenged.
Equality and empowerment
The UK Government must act to promote a compassionate society in which equality and empowerment are central.
Firstly, on equality, a more equal burden of taxation, as being proposed by Tax Justice UK and Patriotic Millionaires UK, will both raise revenue and be well received by the vast majority of the population. From past experience, the number of billionaires who actually move abroad as a result of such measures is comparatively few despite their outcry – it appears they enjoy the UK lifestyle too much.
Given the ongoing cost of Brexit to the UK economy, a clear commitment to rejoin at least the customs union if not the single market would have an immediate effect of stabilising and boosting our economy. The UK is too small to happily weather global crises by itself.
Action must include the enabling of local community groups of all colours and interests – an exceptionally powerful resource, with often the most deprived areas having the strongest community spirit if given a chance. It is notable that people from the local community came out onto the streets to prevent further rioting last summer.
We must also support and strengthen those national organisations and movements already fighting inequality and empowering people, such as Shelter, The Big Issue, and The Trussell Trust.
Of particular importance, given that they can directly affect worker’s pay and conditions, are the trade unions. Whatever the right-wing media pretend, we are not living in 1979. Responsible trade unions protect and enable the workforce, which is vital to our economy, with some union leaders gaining widespread recognition.
Citizen’s assemblies, as Clive Lewis is proposing in connection with the water industry, will give a voice to those wanting to be more directly involved. Even for those with insufficient time, their introduction will change the dynamic between voters and the government.
The increasing authoritarianism of our previous governments – stifling dissent and imprisoning those who dared to protest – have led to a weakening of trust and democracy, driving voters towards Reform UK. Trust must be rebuilt, and people must feel valued rather than threatened. Such actions must form the basis of a national conversation which is repeated to the extent that it is heard by the many – as has happened with PR – and becomes the background ethos to our society.
The far-right cuckoo in the political nest
These actions will avoid a vacuum in the political discussion that would otherwise be readily filled by the far-right cuckoo. Although its approach was questioned, the campaign against Brexit assumed that everyone knew the benefits of being in the EU – so it was hardly necessary to explain or make a case for remaining. Many did not, and others used the “advisory” referendum as a protest vote.
Nationally, the arguments for remaining were not put in an organised and convincing way, whereas the Brexiteers were comparatively well organised. We must learn the lesson – the arguments for a compassionate and inclusive society need to be put clearly and convincingly so that they drown out dissenting far-right voices. This may allow our politicians to be more radical and forward thinking, since at present they are failing to project a cogent vision of the future.
In the 1990s, when the arts were under threat and before austerity became endemic to the UK, campaigners made the case for funding the creative industries. The RSC’s annual report of 1990/91 notes that 87% of a total public subsidy of £6.54 million was returned to the Exchequer in the form of VAT, employer’s and employee’s National Insurance contributions, and income tax. This is before contributions from supporting industries and tourism – both national and international – so that for every pound invested in the arts the treasury gained several pounds in return.
The case was well made and completely convincing. They had won the same argument 10 years previously, yet here they were again arguing exactly the same, but with a different cost-cutting government.
Past progress can very quickly be eradicated. History teaches us it is necessary for each generation to make the case for an equal and compassionate society in which people are put first.
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