Values, Voice and Virtue: The New British Politics

Brought to you by Penguin. Over the last decade, Britain has been rocked by a series of political revolts. The rise of national populism, the vote for Brexit, Boris Johnson's emphatic 2019 election victory, the fall of Labour's Red Wall, and the emergence of a very different brand of conservatism have all outflanked the country's liberal establishment and stunned the world. In trying to make sense of this remarkable churn and change, many commentators cling to very short-term and unconvincing explanations, pointing to social media, dark money, individual leaders, or the promises made to voters. But, as acclaimed political scientist Matthew Goodwin reveals in this strikingly original study, this turbulence has been a long time in the making - and it is set to continue for many years to come. Embarking on a profound and wide-ranging analysis of postwar British politics, Goodwin shows how these revolts are all symptomatic of deeper shifts that are now rapidly reshaping our political world. He points to the rise of three new drivers over 'values', 'voice' and 'virtue', and shows how these uniquely powerful divides are now pushing us into a new era of political volatility. © Matthew Goodwin 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023

About the Author :
Matthew J. Goodwin is Professor of Politics at the University of Kent. The author of four books, including the Sunday Times bestseller National Populism, he appears regularly in print and broadcast media including the Sunday Times and the BBC. Goodwin has advised more than 200 organisations on political issues. He lives in London.

Review :
A single missile laser-targeted at a careless, feckless ruling elite who have ignored the wants and wills of the vast majority of voters ... The fundamental thrust of Goodwin's argument is right. ... a new centre ground of British politics is being formed - even if both parties have yet to fully comprehend it. A much-needed corrective. It gives voice to those whose values are scarcely heard or represented by the media ... impassioned and convincing. Goodwin's central thesis is that the rise of the radical right, the Brexit referendum and Johnson's general election victory of 2019 are expressions of a deeper realignment in UK politics that pits the marginalised white working class, socially conservative older voters and the 'non-graduate majority' against a new elite of university-educated progressives. The most consistent chronicler of events that have upturned the UK several times ... there is much to recommend it as an antidote against the madness of our times. Well-written and cogently argued ... [Goodwin] understands the broad forces that spurred the surprising changes and tumult in the politics of the West, and he writes about them without villainizing or heroizing ... a crucial one to read. This book is a valuable read for understanding better the cause of our recent democratic upheavals. Hot property... [from] an insightful author and a trendsetting 'entrepreneurial academic', combining his scholarly work with writing punchy op-eds and making his case on TV and radio. Goodwin is angry on behalf of the white working class. He wants a political programme that offers them more protection from the gales of international economic competition and from the erosion of their socially conservative values.