The era of politicians defining the nature of our country and communities has passed, according to Brendan Cox, who argues that a new initiative called the National Conversation will give Britons their say. The project, launching today, aims to ask everyday citizens about their visions for the kind of country and community they want to live in, through a massive national survey exploring what unites and divides us.
Why Big Questions Go Unasked
Cox reflects on why some of life's biggest questions are rarely addressed—not existential ones like the meaning of life, but practical ones such as: What kind of country do you want to live in? What kind of community do you want your children or grandchildren to grow up in? While elections focus on which Prime Minister to choose, tax rates, NHS spending, or immigration policy, they rarely delve into the fundamental vision of the nation we want to build together. The electoral cycle is too short, and decisions too immediate, leaving a gap in shared purpose.
Political Fragmentation and Lost Trust
This gap feels more acute now as politics fragments across five or six parties. Every aspiring Prime Minister seeks only 30% support to win an election, none appealing to half the country, let alone all of it. Trust in leaders to define national character has eroded. Cox asserts that the vision must come from the people themselves.
The National Conversation, a serious attempt to gather this vision, begins today. It invites everyone to set out their personal views on what unites us, what kind of communities we want, and what we consider important to share. Through a national survey run by Oxford University and local conversations across the country, the plan is to enable broad participation.
AI-Powered Mapping of Common Ground
In the past, such people-powered research at scale would have been impossible due to complexity and cost. However, artificial intelligence now allows the collection of millions of data points and the mapping of unifying themes. By the end of the summer, the aim is to have mapped what we have in common, what unites us, and what kind of country and communities we want—all based on collective input.
Cox urges everyone to take a few minutes to have their say on the country they want to see. The survey is available now, and he emphasizes that it is too important to leave to someone else.
