Thread by @sundersays

Britain's Choice. A new study from More in Common. It finds many people are frustrated/exhausted by political divisions, but a considerably less polarised society than we have been telling ourselves in the last few years. Read the study here.
britainschoice.uk

More in Common's method segments public into groups based on beliefs, rather than demographics. A similar 'tribes' approach pioneered by Hope Not Hate post-2011 + by British Future on migration/identity. More in Common model has applied it in US, France, Germany, UK + elsewhere.

The comparative lens finds Britain considerably less polarised than America (or France). The big reason is thst Britain's divides are more of a shifting kaleidoscope than a polarised 'them and us' divide between two coherent camps.

This insight reinforces the headline of the King's College/Engage Britain study, which sets out the dynamic of a more coherently polarised US politics over last 30 years, but Britain more fragmented than polarised, with more areas of convergence too
kcl.ac.uk/policy-institu…

"Kaleidoscope" is potential inoculator against ever-increasing polarisation
* political incentives (need shifting coalitions on Brexit, economy, political reform)
* More common ground (NHS, underestimated on gender/climate)
* A big 'balancer' middle on identity/culture clashes

9/10 want to find ways we can disagree better.

A 6/10 'exhausted majority' who find the level of division exhausting. Nb, skews left + centre. May reflect timing (a Feb 2020 finding) just after big political win for right after 3 years of deadlock. (Losing is more exhausting?)

Here are those 7 segments on a political compass. The Progressive Activists are the most active. This report has both good news and some big challenges for the actively progressive.

The good news for progressives is the breadth of (moderate) social liberalism in British society in entrenching liberal gains of the last 50 years + the breadth of potential latent support on future issues, including climate, inequality and dispersing power.

But there is a big But. A constant refrain through the report is evidence of the level of social, psychological and emotional distance between the Progressive Activist 1/6 and the broader latent support they would want to unlock and mobilise . Example of patriotism.

There is plenty to work with on these broad public perceptions of race, opportunity and prejudice - alongside insight into some of the challenges in mobilising and sustaining effective coalitions to pursue race equality.

You can see the activation of anti-prejudice norms by most (if not all) respondents in these thermometer findings of warmth/distance towards different social groups. Distance from political + business elites, political opponents (and, err, Liberal Democrats)

On ethnicity and migration

Covid a volatile time for social perceptions. More in Common reinforce @jillyrutter finding of a surge of unity, which has faded. This Feb v June v Sept snapshot suggests we had kept half of that gain, but lost half of it. The unity spike higher + broader in UK comparatively

This important nuance should influence @togethercoalit and #TalkTogether
- Most people want Covid to bring change, not a return to normal, but are still sceptical it will happen
- But confidence we can make *local* change happen is stronger now.

Most people are balancers - though some are polarisers. The public appetite for a debate about protecting free speech, challenging hate speech - not for polarised conflict on this. Those on both 'sides' have got work to do on trust and content to secure the boundaries there.