Your Liberal Britain - come and discuss our future

Sevenoaks, Dartford and Gravesham Discussion Groups 2016

In four rolling discussion groups we talked through issues and solutions.

All the groups agreed that the biggest social issue facing Britain today is inequality of income and opportunity.

This is reinforced by divisions in society which separate - physically and socially - rich from poor, those in good jobs from those without, people with different levels of education and people with differing attitudes to our 'open' world.

These divisions deprive many of real freedom, and ability to determine their own future.

Britain is still building deeply divided places through its housing policies, and is losing its ability to communicate across different communities, undermining social cohesion. All that contributes to breakdown of trust in politicians, and between different groups.

We identified key improvements we must make to people lives as building more inclusion in housing, in education through life and in communication across society. We have to use the identity politics which new technology brings to build bridges rather than walls.

In building Liberal Britain we need to revolutionise the way we do politics so that it is less confrontational and more inclusive, actively encouraging people to engage. Only in this way can we give all equality of opportunity in a fair, free and open society.

A Liberal Britain is a country where everyone feels they are of equal value, part of a free and fair community. This means - at least - a country where everyone has the opportunity to hold down a job, secure their own home, has access to good health care and can send their children to a good local school.

Tony Clayton

Chair, Sevenoaks Dartford and Gravesham Liberal Democrats