Think tanks associated with the Labor Party and the Conservative Party hold a meeting citing ‘differences of opinion’ | Politics

British politics must learn to ‘dissent well’ or risk falling into a toxic US-style culture war, say three influential think tanks linked to the Conservative and Labor parties. warned in a joint statement.

Ahead of Friday’s conference focused on community cohesion, think tanks Onward, Labor Together and Create Streets will not only promote political consensus to repair frayed social bonds, but also He said crumbling towns and widespread urban decline needed to be tackled.

The event in Coventry included the emergence of a leading voice within the Conservative Party seeking consensus, rather than the more divisive voices of others such as Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat is scheduled to give a speech.

Another speaker was Carlos Moreno, a Paris-based academic who coined the “15-minute city” urban planning idea that has been the focus of conspiracy theories, including recent statements from other ministers. is.

In a joint statement, the think tanks called for efforts to “reimagine new forms of community.”

They said: “This is especially true in an election year. How can we empower local groups and councils, ensure they listen to those who have first-hand experience of crumbling towns and villages, and rebuild communities?” Is not it?

“How do we, as a society, ‘disagree well’ and realign our politics while avoiding the horribly toxic mutual distrust that is now common in America? Two-lane urban roads, inhumanity? How do we recalibrate neighborhoods by physically reweaving places that have been damaged by design?”

Conservative Onward is seen as particularly close to Rishi Sunak, calling for community unity in a hastily prepared speech in Downing Street last Friday, and just days before announcing that “mob rule” had taken over Britain. He warned me that there was.

Labor Together is close to Keir Starmer, while Create Streets is led by Nicholas Boyes-Smith, the government’s most senior urban policy adviser, who helps guide planning ideas founded by Michael Gove. He is the president of the organization Office for Place.

In comments released before the meeting, Prime Minister Tugendhat said the UK’s internal security and cohesion “depends in the long term on the strength of our social fabric”, adding: “The strength of our democracy… “It’s only as strong as the relationship between strangers who share the same thing.” citizenship. ”

The focus on improving community relations and encouraging more positive political dialogue echoes elements of Sunak’s speech on Friday, in which he spoke of pro-Palestinian demonstrators and other protesters. It appears that they are moving away from a focus on perceived threats from groups and others.

His speech echoed former Home Office ministers Braverman and Jenrick, who sought to place the blame almost entirely on Islamic extremists for recent tensions, and a former home secretary who lost his party whip by claiming: This followed comments from Conservative Party deputy leader Lee Anderson. Islamists have ‘taken control’ of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.