Them (Westminster) and Us (the British) | International

In Britain I have met people who cannot even remember the last time they voted. Worse still, they do not even know the name of their prime minister. They are not interested because they have long since decided to throw in the political towel. They feel ignored by their rulers and disappointed by a political class that has not stopped stringing together scandals in recent years.

The Lies of the Brexit Campaign, the party gate, the musical chairs with a prime minister that lasted Less than it takes for a lettuce to wilt – but it had time to ruin the country’s economy – and the politicians who gambled on election day in recent weeks because they had privileged information are just some of the nonsense that has left a very deep wound in the psyche of the governed. They have taken their toll in the form of a loss of trust in politicians and institutions. And that bill will have to be paid by Keir Starmer.

The political shamelessness and excesses of those in power Tories They also run parallel to the clear deterioration in the living conditions of many Britons, but especially those who have the least. The austerity measures imposed by Cameron and Osborne since 2010 have sent shivers down the spine of Britain’s public services. Schools are falling apart, waiting lists for the public health service – until recently regarded as the jewel in the British crown – are now endless, councils large and small are going bust without anyone doing anything to stop them, and in many small and medium-sized towns they are going bust. In Britain’s big cities, the only thing that is really thriving are the food banks.

That is the reality many Britons face outside the invisible border that separates the capital and the wealthy south of the country from the rest. The result is that trust in government and politicians has fallen to levels not seen in 50 years, the research shows. British Social Attitudes published last month by the National Centre for Social Research, which analyses the parliamentary term between 2019 and 2024. 45% of those surveyed said they “almost never” trust that the government, regardless of its political formation, will put the interests of the nation before those of their own party. That figure rises to 72% among those facing economic hardship. The research also shows that among those who voted for Brexit, trust rose after the EU referendum, but fell again when they saw that the promised nirvana did not materialise. They feel betrayed.

Young people appear in the surveys as standard-bearers of the disillusioned legion. The lack of opportunity, the increasingly unaffordable housing and now the war in Gaza and the lack of strength in demanding a ceasefire from the vast majority of British politicians, including Starmer, have alienated many young people.

Recent analysis They have also confirmed the relationship between growing inequality and distrust of the political system and institutions. Including one of The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) which warns that electoral participation varies by neighbourhood. That is, those who have the most votes, more and those who have the fewest, and they expect little or nothing from a political system that they believe has turned its back on them. The sabre rattling that comes from Westminster has become a bit of background music to them that they no longer hear. They are not interested in it.

The financial precariousness of the UK that Starmer inherits, with debt and little fiscal space, means that the new Prime Minister will not have the resources to respond, at least for the time being, to the urgent needs of much of the population.

Populism fishes masterfully in this river of discontent, making it seem as if all politicians are equal, except them. Populist leaders have succeeded in conveying a supposed authenticity and are able to make voters feel like they are still one. It doesn't matter whether he is an ultra-rich person like Donald Trump or former European parliamentarian such as Nigel Farage. Work. And that too is part of the poisoned legacy that Starmer receives, at the head of a left-wing government and with a self-destructive Conservative opposition, which opens a wide and valuable vacuum on the right of the political spectrum, at the mercy of populism.

Political discontent on the part of the public is one of the great challenges that Starmer will face from today. He must regain the credibility of the political class and win over the disbelieving and disillusioned hearts. His understated style and respected career path can help you. The signals she has given so far point to a change in political culture where the personal interests of politicians who They're throwing alcohol-fueled parties in the middle of the pandemicThe truth is that it starts from such a low level that it may be easier than it seems.

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