The State of Us, published one year on from the violent unrest of last summer, presents an authoritative picture of the state of cohesion and community strength in the UK.
The report, by British Future and the Belong Network, details a combination of social tensions and grievances, including polarisation and division, concerns about asylum and immigration, declining political trust and economic pessimism. The authors warn that unrest risks being reignited unless urgent action is taken. They also identify some strong foundations on which to build, including public confidence in cohesion at neighbourhood level and numerous examples of impactful work across the UK to empower communities, build shared identities and strengthen relationships between people from different backgrounds.
Research for the report incorporated the views of 177 UK organisations working on social cohesion and community development, through regional roundtables, as well as 113 written submissions of evidence. A nationally representative survey by Focaldata and eight focus groups in towns and cities across the UK, including in areas that experienced riots, assessed public opinion.
The research is a foundational input to the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, chaired by Sir Sajid Javid and Jon Cruddas.
A new British South Asian Bridgers Project is bringing together and supporting the ‘bridging’ voices who are working to build inter-community connection and defuse tensions among the UK’s largest ethnic minority group. [1/5]
Starmer's future remains uncertain – but "it may be a few months yet before we find out who governs Britain for the remaining three years of this parliament," writes
@sundersays for @easterneye
Changes at Number Ten, but Starmer’s future remains uncertain
Most of the Westminster commentariat predict that Starmer will prove to be a caretaker prime minister on borrowed time
www.easterneye.biz
Remember, you only hav until next Tues, 10 Feb, to apply for the Windrush Day 2026 Grant Scheme - details below
"It is welcome, if overdue, that the PM has set out a positive vision for cohesion... What needs to follow is a clear plan to turn these words into sustained action," writes our @sundersays [1/2]
"No, the public is not irredeemably ignorant," writes @sarahoconnor_ in the @FT – citing data from our @britishfuture immigration attitudes tracker on misperceptions about immigration [1/2]
Our @sundersays welcomes @MayorofLondon Sadiq Khan making "a more confident case for controlled immigration – and the economic and social contribution that it can make," in his @easterneye column [1/2]
How do efforts to build community cohesion respond to today's febrile geopolitical and national context?
This week's @sundersays column for @easterneye
In Britain’s new year of anxiety, cohesion is no longer optional
A stronger, shared vision would help, despite some anxiety about how far national leaders and institutions have the public standing to narrate it
www.easterneye.biz
“It is not ‘censorship’ to insist every website operating in our country does so within the law.” Our @sundersays argues in @easterneye that UK govt should reject Elon Musk’s ‘pick and mix” approach to the law and Make Social Media Lawful Again [1/2]
Spain has reduced small boat crossings by 46% by combining diplomatic deals with source countries, expanded legal routes and enforcement. Could the UK learn from them? @theipaper reports:
This European country cut illegal boat crossings by half - what the UK could learn
Spain's approach to reducing illegal maritime crossings has had impressive results, with numbers down dramatically
inews.co.uk
Our @sundersays on the UK government's dilemma: "how to defend a rule-based world order once the most powerful states barely pay lip service to international law." @EasternEye [1/2]
