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| Don't despair over Boris Johnson – it's time for hope | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Sterling slipped just a little on confirmation of Boris Johnson’s ascent, but another currency plunged: optimism. His was a triumph of self-belief, buoyed by privilege and untethered to ability or vision, magical thinking without any magic or any thinking. “We are going to rise and ping off the guy ropes of self-doubt and negativity,” he declared in his victory speech, “with better education, better infrastructure, more police, fantastic full-fibre broadband sprouting in every household.” It’s hard to say which aspect of this list was more revealing – its lack of ambition or the scepticism it prompted over his capacity to deliver even minor improvements to the nation’s broadband. Who even among his newly minted cabinet truly believes the central pledge of his premiership: a Brexit, deal or no deal, that boosts anything apart from the Conservative party or its new leader? In peddling Brexit lies in place of genuine aspiration, Johnson has devalued hope itself. | Sterling slipped just a little on confirmation of Boris Johnson’s ascent, but another currency plunged: optimism. His was a triumph of self-belief, buoyed by privilege and untethered to ability or vision, magical thinking without any magic or any thinking. “We are going to rise and ping off the guy ropes of self-doubt and negativity,” he declared in his victory speech, “with better education, better infrastructure, more police, fantastic full-fibre broadband sprouting in every household.” It’s hard to say which aspect of this list was more revealing – its lack of ambition or the scepticism it prompted over his capacity to deliver even minor improvements to the nation’s broadband. Who even among his newly minted cabinet truly believes the central pledge of his premiership: a Brexit, deal or no deal, that boosts anything apart from the Conservative party or its new leader? In peddling Brexit lies in place of genuine aspiration, Johnson has devalued hope itself. |
| Enthusiasm among a rump of musty old Marxists for a no-deal Brexit to speed the revolution amplifies this effect by ignoring the inevitable toll it would exact on everyone, especially the most vulnerable. Yet hope – grounded in reality – remains the best and only antidote to the regressive rightwing populism now flourishing on both sides of the Atlantic. Switching off the news may feel like self-care, but the surest way to feel better is to make things better. Optimism is a political choice that anyone with the time and resources to be active must take – right now. You’ll find this surprisingly easy once you stop thinking in terms of what can’t be done and focus on what you can do. | Enthusiasm among a rump of musty old Marxists for a no-deal Brexit to speed the revolution amplifies this effect by ignoring the inevitable toll it would exact on everyone, especially the most vulnerable. Yet hope – grounded in reality – remains the best and only antidote to the regressive rightwing populism now flourishing on both sides of the Atlantic. Switching off the news may feel like self-care, but the surest way to feel better is to make things better. Optimism is a political choice that anyone with the time and resources to be active must take – right now. You’ll find this surprisingly easy once you stop thinking in terms of what can’t be done and focus on what you can do. |
| As the Worst US President of All Time took to Twitter to hail the Worst UK Prime Minister in Living Memory, I received a WhatsApp from Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality party, that underscored this point. She’s travelling to Congleton this weekend to celebrate the party’s first elected representative, Kay Wesley. On Wesley’s first day as a councillor, she succeeded, against opposition, in altering the language of the council’s constitution, replacing “chairman” with “chair”. Her achievement may appear modest in relation to the scale of inequity in local politics with 97% of councils male-dominated, yet sustainable progress depends on an accretion of small changes as well as profound shifts. | As the Worst US President of All Time took to Twitter to hail the Worst UK Prime Minister in Living Memory, I received a WhatsApp from Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality party, that underscored this point. She’s travelling to Congleton this weekend to celebrate the party’s first elected representative, Kay Wesley. On Wesley’s first day as a councillor, she succeeded, against opposition, in altering the language of the council’s constitution, replacing “chairman” with “chair”. Her achievement may appear modest in relation to the scale of inequity in local politics with 97% of councils male-dominated, yet sustainable progress depends on an accretion of small changes as well as profound shifts. |
| The Women’s Equality party aims for both. Since Sandi Toksvig and I co-founded the party four years ago it has transformed the conversation, influenced policies and old parties, brought thousands into activism and launched inspiring women into politics while setting out a roadmap to the full gender equality that will benefit everyone. The idea that “small parties can’t make a difference”, now parroted without irony by some Liberal Democrats resistant to forging a progressive alliance to block a Tory-Brexit party coalition, is nonsense. Small parties make a big difference and so do small acts and initiatives outside politics. | The Women’s Equality party aims for both. Since Sandi Toksvig and I co-founded the party four years ago it has transformed the conversation, influenced policies and old parties, brought thousands into activism and launched inspiring women into politics while setting out a roadmap to the full gender equality that will benefit everyone. The idea that “small parties can’t make a difference”, now parroted without irony by some Liberal Democrats resistant to forging a progressive alliance to block a Tory-Brexit party coalition, is nonsense. Small parties make a big difference and so do small acts and initiatives outside politics. |
| Every day, grassroots activists and people working in nonprofits quietly improve the lives of others. Health and care workers and teachers heal, sustain and encourage. The cultural sector does its bit too. Sabeena Akhtar messaged me at about the same time as Reid. She’s a writer who has successfully crowdfunded Cut From the Same Cloth, a book of essays by British hijabis to be published next year. She’s also one of 17 women, myself and Toksvig included, who have co-founded the new Primadonna festival. We “Primadonnas” are not just determined to ensure a hugely engaging and entertaining celebration of the best writing, comedy, music and more – although our debut festival at the end of promises to be exactly that. We’re removing some of the barriers that stop the most exciting voices from breaking through, mixing famous names with new talents and rebalancing the lineup in favour of women from many backgrounds and experiences, united by one thing: sheer, dazzling brilliance. On Thursday we’ll also unveil our (wonderful) shortlist for the inaugural Primadonna prize for unrepresented and unpublished writers. | Every day, grassroots activists and people working in nonprofits quietly improve the lives of others. Health and care workers and teachers heal, sustain and encourage. The cultural sector does its bit too. Sabeena Akhtar messaged me at about the same time as Reid. She’s a writer who has successfully crowdfunded Cut From the Same Cloth, a book of essays by British hijabis to be published next year. She’s also one of 17 women, myself and Toksvig included, who have co-founded the new Primadonna festival. We “Primadonnas” are not just determined to ensure a hugely engaging and entertaining celebration of the best writing, comedy, music and more – although our debut festival at the end of promises to be exactly that. We’re removing some of the barriers that stop the most exciting voices from breaking through, mixing famous names with new talents and rebalancing the lineup in favour of women from many backgrounds and experiences, united by one thing: sheer, dazzling brilliance. On Thursday we’ll also unveil our (wonderful) shortlist for the inaugural Primadonna prize for unrepresented and unpublished writers. |
| Boris Johnson’s optimism is a sales pitch that can only disappoint | Tim Lott | Boris Johnson’s optimism is a sales pitch that can only disappoint | Tim Lott |
| It’s safe to say that Akhtar isn’t happy to see Johnson installed in Downing Street, but she sounded philosophical. “I’ll be staying sane this week by meeting with awesome women making real change in their industries including attending the launch of South Asian Heritage Month and programming festivals with Bare Lit and my sister Primadonnas,” she emailed. Joanne Harris, bestselling author and Primadonna prize judge, struck a similar note. “The news makes me feel like no one is listening and no one cares. It’s a selfish pleasure to play a part in this festival, as we’re countering the narrative, just a little bit.” | It’s safe to say that Akhtar isn’t happy to see Johnson installed in Downing Street, but she sounded philosophical. “I’ll be staying sane this week by meeting with awesome women making real change in their industries including attending the launch of South Asian Heritage Month and programming festivals with Bare Lit and my sister Primadonnas,” she emailed. Joanne Harris, bestselling author and Primadonna prize judge, struck a similar note. “The news makes me feel like no one is listening and no one cares. It’s a selfish pleasure to play a part in this festival, as we’re countering the narrative, just a little bit.” |
| The Primadonnas’ goal is to create the world as it should be, if only for one weekend. By embracing the optimism of making a difference every day, we can all help to make that vision permanent. | The Primadonnas’ goal is to create the world as it should be, if only for one weekend. By embracing the optimism of making a difference every day, we can all help to make that vision permanent. |
| • Catherine Mayer is co-founder of the Women’s Equality party | • Catherine Mayer is co-founder of the Women’s Equality party |
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