My personal survival guide to staying positive and taking action in these turbulent times.
I am devastated — but ultimately unsurprised — at the outcome of yesterday’s referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU. Especially the final results in the West Midlands.
Over the past couple of days, I have sat in phone banks, both for The Labour Party and Britain Stronger in Europe, where the anger and frustration of voters, regardless of voting history or political persuasion, has been palpable. It’s fervour has frightened me.
I spoke to people right across the region, ordinary people of all cultural backgrounds, races and ages. They all had this one thing in common. This raw and impassioned anger had finally found an outlet in the campaign trail of this referendum, divisive issues and emotionally charged headlines adding fuel upon fuel to their fire. And it’s not JUST an immigration issue either.
I listened to people talk of bankers and corporates gaining whilst the worker lost out, of closing free movement to allow fairness in migration, a sense of being without control in their lives and so much anger. They believe wholeheartedly quite a few really big lies, it will be hard to dissuade them from this path. Europe and Westminster, and particularly the ‘Intelligentsia’, will be forced sit up and take heed. There is more here than meets the eye. Try to use an objective filter to view as much as possible. Our jaded subjective filters will only bring more division and hopelessness.
This anger is symptomatic of something far larger than our EU membership. It speaks of racism, disenfranchisement and manipulation. And its repercussions are to be felt far beyond the reading of the result and the ensuing fallout. And because of this we simply have to understand that it will not abate in the wake of today’s result. If anything, it rages more fiercely today. The kneejerk reaction of many friends has been to disavow the leavers en mass. This will not help, just make the chasm greater. Please pause and try to remember what you have in common.
For me personally, it has been this anger that has been the hardest thing to bear during this campaign while trying to remain positive. And the truth is, I’m failing for the most part. But here goes:
If we have ANY hope of building anything positive out of this, healing these wounds and not letting it spiral into even greater depression — both economic and cultural — then we on the left and right of this country need to find our common ground. We need to take the time to remember what humanity we share and do a hell of a lot more listening to each other. We also need to ensure that the fascists and the racists don’t get a greater grip, and are called out calmly and persistently.
If you, too, are reeling from this vote; if you want to stop being angry, or get ahead before the anger starts doing damage, here are some things you can do to remedy the situation immediately:
- If you have the opportunity in the coming weeks or months to GOTV, to do any phone or doorstep polling, or attend any community run events, do it. Especially away from your circles of friends. You will be enlightened as to what really is getting to people, not least to how irrational a lot of this is. Equally, you will develop a greater awareness of how we got here, and find pieces of hope to rebuild with.
- STOP before you say anything that will stoke the bonfire. Think before you say it. Is it going to alienate the person opposite me even more?
- Get your local party machinery, of whatever persuasion, to take heed. Change up how they engage and really listen.
- Stop being so tribal. Our innate tribalism leads to siloing. Stop segregating according to age, gender, class, culture, race only, Find ways to bridge those activities in your work and play.
- Join an Impact Hub or similar, or try to get one set up more in places that don’t ordinarily get to participate in these organisations built on a manifesto for social change.
- Stop making this only about facts and your superior understanding of economics, philosophy, history etc. Instead, listen and try to humanise the facts into stories you might offer to give those filled with such anger a renewed hope and awareness instead of vitriol.
- Stop believing that entrepreneurialism and free markets have all the answers. Small businesses are likely to feel this most, and many are only just recovering from the last recession. If you work in a big company or organisation and you can, make sure you procure small. And make sure they get paid on time. This will have a huge effect.
- Start thinking about how to build social enterprises that care about their staff, their clients and their communities. There is much richness to be had here, sustainability and hope too.
- Stop ignoring the power of the tabloids and start demanding media reform which holds them accountable for the stories they cover. A ‘buried on page 8’ retraction after the devastation of a ‘frontpage false headline’ is not good enough.
- Start to question whether allowing the Westminster bubble to go unchecked is the right course of action. Let’s talk about devolution and moving Government out of Whitehall.
- Turn out to vote, and make sure you’re passionate about your beliefs while remaining tolerant of others views. Walk a mile in their shoes before you go judging them.
- Be unafraid to experiment and fail fast. The only way to invent the new ‘thing’ is to do this rapidly, prototyping as we go.
- Take ownership of your leadership, whether that’s in your home, your friendship group, your community or globally. We are all responsible for our bit. Stop abdicating it to others.
- Try not to take an immediate position of superiority or indifference.
- 50%+ people voted to take us away from the very thing that has enabled (and yes at times hampered) our economic and cultural growth over the past 40 years. Try to find out why. When climate changes force larger migration, understanding this will be necessary to avoid a repeat.
- Empower unlikely leaders in your community, hold them to account and support their ideas and failures in their pursuit of new ways.
- Join a federation, a union, a membership organisation, or something similar. Show and grow your voice and leadership skills.
- Write to your MP, your councillors, your friends and family, your newspapers. Try to ask what people are feeling and listen to what they have to say. Hear their pain, fear, anger, remorse and try to find ways of sharing your stories in a constructive way.
- Adopt a willing civil servant and make sure they understand your specific needs and challenges, and hear what passion they have to help ordinary citizens.
- Start a petition. Sign a petition. Start a campaign. Save a library.
- Hug a European, a Scot, etc etc. Remind them that whatever happens we have #moreincommon.
- Learn as much as you can to build your skills. Learn a foreign language, find out the facts about climate change and foreign policy. Learn to knit. Just don’t wallow.
The greater challenges we face as a result of this decision are not going to go away. But perhaps with deeper kindness and mutual understanding we can begin to build a better place for all humans. We need to stop thinking about the tribe of ‘me’, and start understanding the global tribe of ‘we’ a little better.
So here’s what I pledge to do:
I will talk every week with someone who is from the other side of the debate, whatever debate is happening, and really try to listen.
I will continue to commit to running transparent and accountable businesses for profit and for good.
I will commit the small resources I have, to whomever needs them. Whether that is to run a meeting or to have some support with skills development. Or a cup of tea and a hug.
I will fight for greater devolution to the regions with more decisions made closer to citizens.
I will campaign for Whitehall to be better distributed around the country.
I will own my past and future failures — and trust me there are many.
I will start using my RSA fellowship, and explore the community there better.
I will support the growing Impact Hub network — they are doing great things.
I will try to do exciting and risky projects with the Labour Party as a member.
I will build our Rebel Labs work to extend skills across siloes and continue to experiment with innovation and public services.
I will keep asking Dominic Campbell if it’s time for the revolution, even though it’s too late. ❤
I will be unafraid to wear my heart on my sleeve.
I’ve already redyed my hair this morning, put on some slap and rallied my team as best I can to focus on the Rebel Uncut and Rebel Labs work we do. I’m about to do the invoices. And buy icecreams to cheers them up. I’ve already ‘hugged’ our postie, who voted out, and asked him to keep talking to us. I’ve just had a cry after reading this through..
And now, go hug those around you and make sure that you talk about this stuff with everyone you know too.
The #powerofus can do it, maybe. But only if we start now, with some or all of the above. Get in touch and tell me how you are coping and taking action. Use the hashtag #voteaction or tell me to piss off…
Photo Credit: Paul Clarke ❤
