Thinking in Straight Lines

 

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With people’s attitudes swinging in Labour's favour on a range of social issues, why do we keep failing to win a general election?

The analysis suggests that while most people share common values there is a distinction in how we express and conceptualise them.

Direct reasoning: Favours common senses, agency based explanations rooted in how the situation looks from one perspective and what that viewer can do about it.

Systemic reasoning: Looks for connections and complexities, is more concerned with root causes, and often suggests one must solve one problem before one can solve another.

Most people use of a mix of both, and various factors will explain why we lean towards one or the other, with those who have gone through higher education (for example) favouring systemic reasoning.

But Labour recently has become totally dominated by systemic reasoning. We struggle to communicate in any other terms. This has pushed large swathes of the electorate who are more direct, into the arms of Boris Johnson and the conservatives.

But this can can change and the report sets out how we can adjust our policy and messaging to appeal to the people in England in particular who have left the party – without compromising our values or vision.

About Me

My name is Keiron Marsden, I'm an early-retired husband, father and dog lover, former engineering manager, and current Labour Parish Councillor.

As a news and current affairs addict for decades, I have always been interested in politics since Harold Wilson was blathering on about "the pound in your pocket" - although I wasn't old enough then to actually have a pound in my pocket. 

I was born "up North" in Lancashire, in a working class town that would now be referred to as “red wall”, and I've had quite a political journey over the decades - if you're interested you can read about it in My Journey.

I now consider myself a moderate on the centre-left of UK Politics, see My Politics if you're interested the gory details.

My newspapers of choice are the Guardian, which broadly reflects my political views, and the Telegraph, which definitely doesn't - the latter comes under the heading of "know thine enemy".

I joined the Labour Party to make my own small contribution towards the direction it takes, and to help it get there, but I've been a social justice keyboard warrior and digital activist for well over a decade. Post pandemic I'm finally now getting out on the doorstep too, and was delighted and proud to be elected as a Labour Parish Councillor for Stoke Gifford in the May 2023 local elections.

After a stint as Secretary of the Filton & Bradley Stoke Constituency Labour Party I would highly recommend all Labour Party members to attend their Branch and Constituency meetings and get involved.

For why I joined, support, and vote for Labour, see my Why Labour and Labour Vision pages.

If you think you may like to join, see the party's own Why Join Labour and Joining Labour FAQ.

Follow me on X @keironm

Views expressed are my own, and don't necessarily represent the views or position of any organisation or committee that I have been or still am a part of.