Is politics broken? And if so, how do we fix it?

A conversation with Clive Lewis MP about democracy, political heroes and the enduring relevance of Star Wars

In recent years, I’ve been hit by a feeling of profound apathy when it comes to traditional politics and by that, because I live in the UK, I mean the Westminster political circus. 

As someone who has always been politically engaged — and often very politically active — this has been interesting to observe. It’s not that I don’t care about the big issues that face this country, or indeed that face the world. But I have completely lost faith in members of parliament, political parties and the British political system as a whole. I cannot bear to watch clips on the news of MPs jeering away in parliamentary debates, acting like children in a pantomime show, or repeating their insincere soundbites ad nauseam that make them sound like robots parroting off statements we know most of them don’t even believe in. It's incredibly dispiriting and often, with the hostile rhetoric that is being espoused, feels quite frightening.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’ve ever believed that the kind of radical social change I believe we need in this country is going to come solely from those corridors of power, but I used to think at least some aspects of the system worked. I joined the Labour Party when I was 17, after hearing the late Tony Benn speak at Westminster Hall on a school trip to London. Listening to his eloquence and passion for social justice gave me hope that there were at least some inside the system that were working for the greater good and were willing to speak truth to power. But, as the decades have gone on, that’s felt increasingly rare and our political system has felt more and more antiquated across the board, from the left to the right and the centre. 

Whilst every other major institution in the country has evolved over the past 50 years, and we’ve seen huge innovations in technology, science, the media and even food, British politics seems stuck in a time warp, with an old-fashioned workplace culture, stifling sectarianism and outdated top-down organising principles. All of this feels especially frustrating as the challenges we face as a country, and as a global community at large, demand bold and innovative creative thinking. 

So this week I thought I’d share an interview with one of the few members of parliament I do rate these days — someone whose ideas and way of working gives me hope. Clive Lewis has been the MP for Norwich South since 2015. We discussed what got him into politics, what inspires him to keep going and what he thinks needs to change. 

Hi Clive, thanks for joining me! Let’s get stuck in — what inspired you to get into politics?

My dad and grandad were trade unionists and discussed politics around me frequently. By the time of the miners’ strike and debates at school I realised my views were both left wing and more informed than many others my age. As time went on, politics began to interest me more and I began to see how much help the social system had given me — whether that was through the council house I lived in, the grant that I got to go to university, or all the career support I got. All of those things have now gone and I felt galvanised to make sure that others are given the support they need to fulfil their potential.

What moment in your political journey are you proudest of?

There are many. A recent one was making a Parliamentary speech about reparations for the Caribbean. Afterwards, I heard that the speech had made its way to Grenada and was being discussed there. Being half Grenadian, that meant a lot to me.

What do you find most rewarding about being an MP?

When constituents write back to me and my team explaining how our help has made a difference to their lives in someway, allowing them to do something like reunite with a family member for example. It’s a beautiful thing. 

And what do you find most challenging? 

The hate on social media or threats I receive that require police investigation are worrying. That and your personal security. Politically, I find the current repressive atmosphere in terms of political expression difficult. Read into that what you will! 

Who are your political heroes and why?

I don’t really like political heroes in the usual sense it’s meant. Many of the political heroes I’ve had, I’ve discovered, were very fallible, complex human beings. Like we all are. Making them out to be heroes takes away their fragile humanity. That said, some of Maurice Bishop, Bobby Kennedy and Stuart Hall's achievements and qualities resonate. 

What do you turn to in culture? What books or movies have inspired you? 

Science fiction inspires me. It's a fascinating tool to explore hidden facets of society, be that deep reservoirs of hope, or the dark side of humanity. I love Frank Herbert’s Dune, Doris Kearns’ Team of Rivals, CLR James’ The Black Jacobins, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X film as well as the Malcom X biography by Alex Hailey. The new Star Wars: Andor series has been a brilliant inspiration too — especially Amarth’s funeral oration!

Is politics broken? If so, how can we fix it? 

Politics isn’t broken. Capitalism is. That’s what is affecting all our politics, as it has throughout history and in a particularly adverse way at present. 

The way through that is to renew democracy. The last 50 years has seen our democracy, which was never perfect to begin with, eroded and undermined. This means that today our political institutions are no longer fit for purpose — partly because things have changed and they haven’t evolved with the times — but also because they've undermined themselves as well.

What I would like to see is more democratic engagement and by that I mean people at a grassroots level having a real say over the things that affect their lives. I’m talking about workplace democracy, community democracy, educational democracy. Democracy in all its forms. When most politicians talk about democracy, they talk about putting a cross in a box every five years and then handing over power to the political class and technocrats to run society. And that, ultimately, is part of what's going wrong with the political system. It's currently about the shifting of musical chairs between a few small groups of people who get captured by various feted powerful interests. Changing the voting system to introduce proportional representation would be a good place to start. Essentially we need to give more power to the people. 

Being in politics is gruelling. What keeps you going?

My brilliant staff. And gin.

And, in a more broader sense, what gives you hope?

That in a universe of infinite possibilities, anything is possible.  

You can connect with Clive Lewis over on Twitter or Instagram

I’d love to hear how you relate to mainstream politics at the moment – do you find it dispiriting? Who or what inspires you in the country that you live in? And what’s the first thing you would like to change in order to renew democracy? Let me know in the comments.

Yasmin x