Böcker av David Skelton

In 2019, it looked like the electoral map of Britain had been changed forever, with once solidly Labour constituencies voting Conservative for the first time. An epochal realignment seemed to be in train that saw the Conservative electoral coalition become much more Northern and working class and Labour depending more on middle class voters in the South. Only a few years later, the realignment lies in ruins. The Red Wall has returned to Labour, and it's clear 2019 was a blip. Tories are now jostling amongst themselves to be seen as the heirs to Thatcher. It's almost like the promise of change and levelling up was a fever dream as political parties and voters revert to type. What happened? And what can be done? The Conservatives made a big promise to Red Wall voters in 2019, speaking openly about first-time Conservative voters 'lending' their support and promising. In reality, that was quickly forgotten and the realignment was put in the 'too difficult' box, in preference of Thatcherite cosplaying that appealed to a tiny core of Tory members but didn't address the real problems that the country faced. But the politics behind it cannot be ignored. This book will address what went wrong with the so-called realignment and what needs to be done to revive it. 'David Skelton is a brave and original thinker who gets it.' Tim Shipman, The Sunday Times

In this rousing polemic, David Skelton explores the roots and reality of this new snobbery, calling for an end to the divisive culture war and the creation of a new politics of the common good, empowering workers, remaking the economy and placing communities centre stage.

An insidious snobbery has taken root in parts of progressive Britain. Working-class voters have flexed their political muscles and helped to change the direction of the country, but in doing so they have been met with disdain and even abuse from elites in politics, culture and business. They have been derided as uneducated, bigoted turkeys voting for Christmas, as Empire apologists patriotic to the point of delusion.At election time, we hear a lot about 'levelling up the Red Wall'. But when the votes have been counted, what can actually be done to meet the very real concerns of the 'left behind' in the UK's post-industrial towns? In these once vibrant hubs of progress, working-class voters now face the prospect of being minimised or ridiculed in cultural life, economically marginalised and abandoned educationally.In this rousing polemic, David Skelton explores the roots and reality of this new snobbery, calling for an end to the divisive culture war and the creation of a new politics of the common good, empowering workers, remaking the economy and placing communities centre stage. Above all, he argues that we now have a once-in-a-century opportunity to bring about permanent change.

A thought-provoking discussion of the economic and political dislocation that currently haunts Britain's politics.