Britain is a great country, but we are more divided than we have been at any time since the Second World War. Young versus old, city versus town and graduate versus non-graduate - these are the fault lines upon which our country precariously stands.
The June 2016 referendum did not create these divisions - but Brexit has hardened the divides to the point where we are now a tribal society, with families communities, towns and cities riven, defined and stamped with one of two labels: ‘Remain’ or ‘Leave’.
Remember the days when hardly anyone ever talked about Europe, when politics was about jobs, the NHS, social care, housing, transport and schools?
Well, those days are gone, for now at least. A recent survey found that half the population identifies with a religion and just under two-thirds feels attachment to a political party, yet 87% identify as a Remainer or Leaver - that’s 15% more than voted in the referendum.
The story of the last three years is the story of how a fringe issue has become the principal social division of our times.
Listening has been swept away by shouting, persuasion has been replaced by protest and co-operation, compromise and consensus have given way to conflict.
We cannot go on like this. We’re in serious danger of tipping over into a culture war, and so we have to find a way of bringing some cohesion and common sense back into our politics.
And this is why I am truly proud to be the founder and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Re-uniting Britain Post-Brexit. Working closely with the Mete Coban and his outstanding organisation My Life My Say, our APPG focuses on building bridges and getting people out of their echo chambers.
We run a series of award-winning ‘Democracy Cafes’ which offer young people the chance to move out of their echo chambers.
And we have teamed up with the Daily Mirror’s and Daily Express’s Britain Talks project, which has done some brilliant work around re-uniting our deeply divided country.
It’s time to remind ourselves that despite our differences we still have far more in common. We all want fulfilling, well paid work, security and opportunities for our families, and strong and safe communities.
It’s time to reclaim our politics from those who wish to divide us.
It’s time to demonstrate that compromise is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength.
