Letter: A Surge of Discontent Calls for Accountability and Change

Published on: 28 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 28 Dec, 2024

From John Ferns

Since the July General Election, the public’s dissatisfaction with the government has grown at an alarming rate, culminating in a UK-wide petition calling for a fresh election.

The petition reads: “I would like there to be another General Election. I believe the current Labour Government has gone back on the promises made during the last election campaign.”

Launched on December 6, this petition has been little short of a phenomenon. By Christmas Day, it had surpassed three million signatures (3,005,175 at 7pm ) and continues to gather momentum. While it’s unlikely to beat the 6.1 million signatures of the 2019 petition for Brexit, it is quickly catching up with the 4.2 million signatures achieved by the 2016 petition — and it’s only been a few short weeks, becoming the third largest in the history of UK petitions.

At the heart of this petition lies a simple but powerful frustration: broken promises. The Labour Government, having campaigned on a platform of hope and change, is now facing increasing anger over its failure to deliver on key pledges.

People feel that the economic policies, housing plans, and a lack of accountability are making life harder for the very citizens who put the government in power. In Surrey, a particularly heated debate is brewing over the government’s “English Devolution White Paper” (released December 16), a document that promises sweeping changes to local governance.

While some local political groups in Guildford Borough Council (GBC), are broadly supportive Link to White Paper, many residents are likely to incline towards the Leader of the Guildford Greenbelt Group’s more realistic views (see:Local Political Leaders Respond to Publication of the English Devolution White Paper).

Guildford, home to a burgeoning space and technology industry, is grappling with severe traffic congestion and a strained infrastructure. The population is growing, but local services and roads can barely keep up. So, the question on many minds is: how can a vision of greater local powers and development coexist with the reality of overburdened infrastructure?

Adding much fuel to the fire, the government’s demand for GBC to double the number of homes in its Local Plan (see: Surrey’s Annual Housing Target Now at 10,981 – Council Pleas Ignored) has become a major point of tension.

The fear of losing green spaces, the destruction of agricultural land, and the inability to cope with the demand for more housing are real and legitimate concerns for local leaders. These aren’t unique to Surrey, either.

Across the UK, people are grappling with the same issues: too much housing, too little infrastructure, and a government seemingly out of touch with local needs.

Of course, one factor that weighs heavily on the housing debate is the country’s struggle to deal with immigration. While immigration is often framed as a positive contributor to the economy, the simple fact is that our housing market wasn’t designed to accommodate the massive influx of people.

Communities are already at breaking point trying to provide enough homes for their existing populations. Now, with housing pressures compounded by increased immigration, frustration is bubbling over.

In this climate of widespread discontent, it is no surprise that populist movements are gaining traction. Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, while still a relatively minor force, is capitalising on the public’s disillusionment with the political establishment.

It’s evident in regional pockets of support, like Clacton, Farage’s constituency, where one in six active voters from the July election have signed the petition. In Godalming and Ash the figure is one in eleven and in the Guildford constituency, the figure is one in fifteen. While this level of support is not yet enough to trigger a new election, it’s a clear indication that public sentiment is shifting.

A surprisingly quirky detail in the table of UK citizens who have voted and are recorded as living overseas reveals that twenty-one reside in Russia, fifty-three in China, and even two in Iran—quite an intriguing mix of locations! Even more surprising, however, is that the ‘bots’ appear to have yet to crack the UK Government-sponsored petition software!

The petition is more than just a call for a fresh election — it’s a conversation starter about bigger issues. It’s a statement on the growing concerns around immigration, the economy, and the lack of government transparency. It’s about feeling unheard, feeling that those in power are out of touch with the everyday struggles of the people they serve.

National policies are also adding to this sense of alienation. For example, the proposed changes to the inheritance tax regime threaten the viability of family farms, with beneficiaries now facing massive tax bills.

At the same time, the proposed increases in National Insurance levies will hit businesses hard, stoking fears that the very measures intended to support economic growth might end up stifling it. These policies have intensified a broader sense of economic inequality and a growing distrust of those in power.

Note, “active vote” means the number who took part in the last general election. A surprisingly quirky detail in the table of UK citizens who have voted and are recorded as living overseas reveals that twenty-one reside in Russia, fifty-three in China, and even two in Iran—quite an intriguing mix of locations. Even more surprising, however, is that the ‘bots’ appear to have yet to crack the UK Government-sponsored petition software!

This wave of discontent is not confined to rural areas. Across urban constituencies, including many Labour-held seats, people are increasingly dissatisfied. A look at the map showing petition figures by UK constituency graphically illustrates how widespread this frustration is: Link to map. From north to south, east to west, people are sending a clear message: they want change.

As populist movements rise in the UK and across Europe and the United States, there are growing concerns about the direction the political landscape is heading. The UK is not immune to the rise of divisive, reactionary politics, and the lessons of history warn us of the dangers such movements bring.

We’ve seen it before with figures like Boris Johnson, who swept in on a wave of populist sentiment only to suffer a dramatic fall. If anything, this serves as a reminder of the power of the people and the consequences of ignoring their concerns.

In conclusion, while the petition may not lead to an immediate election, it is a clear indicator that people are demanding accountability and change. It’s a wake-up call for the government to listen to the public’s concerns and take meaningful action.

But will Parliament, when it convenes on January 6 to debate the petition, actually respond to the growing discontent? I fear that we may be expecting too much.

This isn’t just a political issue — it’s about the future of our communities, the stability of our economy, and the trust we place in those who represent us. If that trust continues to erode, the consequences will reverberate far beyond the comfortable corridors of power in Westminster, affecting the lives of ordinary citizens across the country.