In the constituency of South Devon, a volunteer-led initiative called Common Ground is using a technique known as 'deep canvassing' to bridge political divides and counter the rise of the far right. With an annual budget of under £400, volunteers set up handwritten boards in busy streets, asking passersby to place stickers on charts to indicate their views on issues such as the NHS, climate change, immigration, and Brexit. The aim is to spark conversations that go beyond superficial agreement or disagreement.
The approach, described by columnist George Monbiot as 'radical listening', involves volunteers listening attentively to people's feelings without judgment, sharing their own experiences, and asking questions that reveal common ground. Unlike traditional canvassing, which focuses on delivering a message and moving on, deep canvassing conversations can last 10 to 20 minutes or longer. Research by political scientists Joshua Kalla and David Broockman has shown that this method can produce durable changes in opinion, unlike conventional campaign contact, which has been found to have zero effect in US general elections.
Common Ground's volunteers operate in areas with high deprivation, where many residents find themselves to the left of their voting intentions. The technique was originally developed by LGBT activists in Los Angeles after a failed referendum on same-sex marriage, and has since been credited with influencing election outcomes, such as Zohran Mamdani's mayoral victory in New York. The key, Monbiot argues, is that listening creates a sense of shared social identity and faith in democratic processes, allowing people to change their minds without losing face.
The initiative is non-partisan and seeks to counteract division by fostering what it calls 'a longing for kindness'. By using simple tools like stickers and handwritten boards, volunteers can engage even those who may be illiterate, reading questions aloud to include everyone. The results, Monbiot says, are exhilarating, offering a potential path to healing Britain's divisions and keeping the hard right from gaining power.
