We all know the following quote from Edmund Burke and understand its meaning, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” It was running through my mind as I read an article written by Janice Turner. (The Times, 04/08/18) In it she discussed the current shift to the right in European and US politics and how the Liberal centrist community should approach this phenomenon. She describes the hatred and fury that drives the leaders of these groups that would not have been out of place in 1930’s Munich. There is also a recognition that the left has similar issues with Corbynites weirdly unable to shake off the antisemitism that seems to be embedded in some parts of Labour. The shocking Sunday Times research findings that 24% of UK respondents would vote for a far right anti immigration party gives cause for concern. Even though polls should be treated with some scepticism Questionaires any number in the 20%’s is significant. Turner argues that the ‘new wave’ rightists bypass the traditional media and peddle their ‘truths’ unchallenged on the net, claiming that they have been silenced by the traditional media for one conspirital reason or another.
Turner poses the question how do we react to this seismic change in society? One method is to ignore it and as she says of one of the ‘new rightist’ we could, “Cast him out to the nutty fringes no-platform and ignore him, keep his views off our airways cut the publicity oxygen pipe and hope he chokes.” (The Times, 04/08/18) I agree with Turner that it is wrong to simply ‘do nothing’ in the face of this threat to our way of life. However, what has worked in the past was to bring the extremists into the open where they have to confront issues in the traditional media, especially television. Where I disagree with the article is that it focuses exclusively on the Right and given the antics and sinister organisations representing them, it is easy to see why. However, I think that there is a wider problem that needs to be addressed. The more fundamental issue is to restore public trust in Politicians and Journalists. If we go back to the Sunday Times questionnaire the voters who said that they would vote far right were described as, ‘politically unserved.’ I would suggest that this class of citizens include the 52% white female vote for Trump; those who did not see the benefits accruing from the EU in the Brexit debate and the basis of the People before Profit and the rise of Sinn Féin in Ireland.
The combination of social media, the Bank failures and the shift toward identity politics has left a disconnect between the traditional media, centrist political parties and the people they are supposed to serve. The perception that a class of people at the top escaped the worst effects of the crash cannot be wholly rebutted. There is a further perception that some groups are given victim status at the expense of others and to question either is commit some form of blasphemy. All this, added to other unresolved social issues finds a home where these feelings of abandonment are enflamed. Turner challenges us, ” Do we sit in our self affirming twitter Pods, muting and blocking opinions counter to our own …. ” She thinks that Journalists should go on the offensive and not allow anti democratic forces an easy path. Is the current media fit for purpose? Turner sympathises with entities like the BBC who try to keep a balanced view but end up trying, “in a hand wringing, liberal way to address a significant strain of public opinion without causing offense.” This is part of the problem and Turner and others have to also look at a Liberal ideology that has done much to create the demons that she warns us against. I like her style, especially when she says, “The best weapon against unreason is for journalists to do their jobs.” Are Janice Turner and her like only going to see ‘unreason’ to her right or, is she prepared to look hard at what some would say are the new Puritans of the Centre and Left and take them on with equal fervour.
references: Edmund Burke Quotes, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17142.Edmund_Burke The Times, 04/08/17, Janice Turner, We can’t Ignore Cult of Tommy Robinson