Makerfield By-Election: The Politics of Feeling and The Lure of Hope
8 June at The Cockpit with Neal Lawson, Ben Anderson and the Byline Times team
What kind of real hope can we find in an age of right-wing populism, nostalgic fantasies, and easy answers?
Ten days before the critical by-election in Makerfield – a contested race led by prospective Labour leader Andy Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon – we’re sitting down to talk it out in the round at The Cockpit and answer your questions.
Why are so many voters turning away from traditional politics? What emotional needs are populist movements meeting? Is Britain’s political future destined to be shaped by grievance and nostalgia, or is there a more hopeful story waiting to be told?
Come along, grab a drink with us, and get involved.
Panelists:
Neal Lawson is the founder of political pressure group Compass and one of Britain’s leading progressive thinkers. He brings decades of experience analysing Labour politics, democratic renewal, and the challenge of building a politics that offers people genuine hope, agency and belonging. The Guardian once described him as “the most optimistic commentator in western Europe.”
Professor Ben Anderson is a professor at Durham University and co-author of The Politics of Feeling. His work explores the emotional undercurrents shaping contemporary politics, including why populist movements often succeed in creating a sense of purpose, belonging and agency where liberal politics struggles to do so.
Hardeep Matharu is Editor-in-Chief of Byline Times. She has written extensively on the crises facing Britain’s political institutions and the rise of anti-establishment sentiment, bringing a broad perspective on how these forces are reshaping British democracy.
Josiah Mortimer is Chief Reporter at Byline Times. He has reported extensively on communities, local politics and the social pressures driving political realignment across Britain, offering a ground-level view of the forces at work in places like Makerfield.
Adam Bienkov is Political Editor at Byline Times. An experienced journalist with inside knowledge of the lobby, he specialises in the mechanics of party politics, electoral strategy and the shifting dynamics between Labour, Reform UK and the Conservative Party.
Peter Jukes is co-founder of Byline Times and Executive Editor. A journalist, author and campaigner, he has spent years investigating threats to democratic accountability and examining the political and media ecosystems that fuel populist movements.
James Bloodworth is Special Features Correspondent at Byline Times and author of Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain. His reporting on class, work and economic insecurity offers vital insight into the lived experiences that often sit behind political discontent.
Dr Nafeez Ahmed is Head of Investigations at Byline Times. An investigative journalist specialising in systems analysis, political economy and emerging global trends, he brings a deeper perspective on the structural forces driving political instability and social change.
If today’s right offers an illusory hope, what does an authentic hope look like – and does the left know how to offer it?
What specific emotions is the populist right currently weaponising in Makerfield?
And is Andy Burnham’s model of compassionate, place-based leadership a blueprint for turning back the tide – or a reminder that even popular local figures can’t always single-handedly defeat a national mood?
As always at The Cockpit, this is an open and collaborative conversation in the round. We want you there, armed with your toughest questions, sharpest observations and boldest ideas. The discussion won't end when the panel does – we'll be sticking around afterwards for drinks, debate and conversation at the bar.
Do join us at The Cockpit on 8 June at 19:30.