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| Populist parallels and points of difference in Britain and Italy | Populist parallels and points of difference in Britain and Italy |
| (2 days later) | |
| As someone who has written about the similarities between recent Italian and British politics, I welcome Martin Kettle’s attempt to interest a wider audience in this correspondence (Britain and Italy are now the terrible twins of Europe, 22 August). | As someone who has written about the similarities between recent Italian and British politics, I welcome Martin Kettle’s attempt to interest a wider audience in this correspondence (Britain and Italy are now the terrible twins of Europe, 22 August). |
| But he overlooked a fundamental commonality driving the rise of nationalistic-populistic politics in both countries: the widespread disillusionment with political institutions and representatives. In Italy this sentiment grew with the botched attempts to reform the system after the tangentopoli (“bribesville”) scandal. In the UK the turning point was probably the MPs’ expenses scandal. | But he overlooked a fundamental commonality driving the rise of nationalistic-populistic politics in both countries: the widespread disillusionment with political institutions and representatives. In Italy this sentiment grew with the botched attempts to reform the system after the tangentopoli (“bribesville”) scandal. In the UK the turning point was probably the MPs’ expenses scandal. |
| Reinforcing the damage done by both of these scandals was the leading parties’ readiness to follow the dictates of finance elites for austerity measures. In that respect, at least, the present Labour party is one step ahead of the Italian left, in seeking to move away from the sellout to neoliberal interests.Bryn JonesUniversity of Bath | Reinforcing the damage done by both of these scandals was the leading parties’ readiness to follow the dictates of finance elites for austerity measures. In that respect, at least, the present Labour party is one step ahead of the Italian left, in seeking to move away from the sellout to neoliberal interests.Bryn JonesUniversity of Bath |
| • I agree with many of the points made in Martin Kettle’s comparison of Britain and Italy, and usually the resignation of a prime minister is a serious matter in both countries, though less so in Italy. But the current crisis in Italy has been “masterminded” (if that is possible) by Matteo Salvini, who – quite ignorant of Italy’s laws and constitution – thought he could appeal directly to voters to become Italy’s supremo, and intended to campaign from the position of interior minister. | • I agree with many of the points made in Martin Kettle’s comparison of Britain and Italy, and usually the resignation of a prime minister is a serious matter in both countries, though less so in Italy. But the current crisis in Italy has been “masterminded” (if that is possible) by Matteo Salvini, who – quite ignorant of Italy’s laws and constitution – thought he could appeal directly to voters to become Italy’s supremo, and intended to campaign from the position of interior minister. |
| He did not realise that in parliament his party has only about 17% control, and therefore it is just possible that Salvini will lose his position of power and a “caretaker government” may be formed, with the exclusion of the League, so that the 2020 budget can be discussed and approved. If that were the case, I wish the other “terrible” twin would follow suit, and Boris Johnson and his gang be defeated by the “anti-fanatic” forces in Britain, whatever they may be. | He did not realise that in parliament his party has only about 17% control, and therefore it is just possible that Salvini will lose his position of power and a “caretaker government” may be formed, with the exclusion of the League, so that the 2020 budget can be discussed and approved. If that were the case, I wish the other “terrible” twin would follow suit, and Boris Johnson and his gang be defeated by the “anti-fanatic” forces in Britain, whatever they may be. |
| Though I know that “spes ultima dea”. Amen.Diego ZancaniOxford | Though I know that “spes ultima dea”. Amen.Diego ZancaniOxford |
| • Martin Kettle’s article reminded me of an incident that occurred nearly 50 years ago when I was living in Italy. | • Martin Kettle’s article reminded me of an incident that occurred nearly 50 years ago when I was living in Italy. |
| On one occasion when hitchhiking with my boyfriend from Rome to Florence we were given a lift by a Communist party senator with whom we discussed the political situation in our respective countries. The senator described politics in Britain as “stagnant”. I was somewhat shocked at this because until then I had thought of British politics as relatively … well, stable compared with Italian politics with its continuous coalitions! | On one occasion when hitchhiking with my boyfriend from Rome to Florence we were given a lift by a Communist party senator with whom we discussed the political situation in our respective countries. The senator described politics in Britain as “stagnant”. I was somewhat shocked at this because until then I had thought of British politics as relatively … well, stable compared with Italian politics with its continuous coalitions! |
| I imagine the senator would hardly say the same today!Virginia Middleton-SmithBishopstone, Wiltshire | |
| • Martin Kettle makes an interesting and valid comparison between Britain and Italy, but a far more useful lesson is to be learned from Spain which has leapfrogged Britain in political maturity. | • Martin Kettle makes an interesting and valid comparison between Britain and Italy, but a far more useful lesson is to be learned from Spain which has leapfrogged Britain in political maturity. |
| Not so long ago Spain was regarded as something close to a developing country, ever in danger of returning to the dictatorship it had just left behind. As late as the 1990s Britain smugly frowned on unskilled Spanish workers arriving as unwanted immigrants and Britons settled in Spain because there they weren’t asked too many questions about their offshore accounts. | Not so long ago Spain was regarded as something close to a developing country, ever in danger of returning to the dictatorship it had just left behind. As late as the 1990s Britain smugly frowned on unskilled Spanish workers arriving as unwanted immigrants and Britons settled in Spain because there they weren’t asked too many questions about their offshore accounts. |
| Now Spain is a sophisticated democracy capable of weathering political crises (the financial crash, a royal abdication, Catalan secession, the legacy of Francoism reborn in Vox…) with a sense of measure that Britain could only dream of. Like Britain, it has a minority government but it has not fallen into the hands of a sect of rightwing extremists and has not torn itself apart over an anachronistic obsession with going it alone in the world as if it wasn’t really part of Europe. | Now Spain is a sophisticated democracy capable of weathering political crises (the financial crash, a royal abdication, Catalan secession, the legacy of Francoism reborn in Vox…) with a sense of measure that Britain could only dream of. Like Britain, it has a minority government but it has not fallen into the hands of a sect of rightwing extremists and has not torn itself apart over an anachronistic obsession with going it alone in the world as if it wasn’t really part of Europe. |
| Perhaps Spain has succeeded because it faced up to the truth in 1975-80 and is still facing up to it, whereas in 1979 Britain began to slip into a delusion. Spain has a constitution that commits all parties (in both senses) to working together and it keeps its monarchy in its place rather than ceding a vague royal prerogative (“do what you want as long as no one objects”) to the prime minister of the day. Not everything is perfect, of course, but whereas Spain (along with Italy) once looked like the political joke of Europe, now guess who everyone is laughing at.Nick InmanLarreule, France | Perhaps Spain has succeeded because it faced up to the truth in 1975-80 and is still facing up to it, whereas in 1979 Britain began to slip into a delusion. Spain has a constitution that commits all parties (in both senses) to working together and it keeps its monarchy in its place rather than ceding a vague royal prerogative (“do what you want as long as no one objects”) to the prime minister of the day. Not everything is perfect, of course, but whereas Spain (along with Italy) once looked like the political joke of Europe, now guess who everyone is laughing at.Nick InmanLarreule, France |
| • The third letter in this package was amended on 29 August 2019 to correct the address. | |
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