Why hope, community and participation remain the foundations of a stronger Britain.
Every few years, someone declares that politics is broken.
They say people have lost faith, politicians no longer inspire and democracy no longer works.
There is no doubt that trust in politics has been tested. Many people feel disconnected from Westminster. Some believe decisions are made too far away from the communities they affect. Others wonder whether their vote or voice can really make a difference.
Those concerns are understandable. But they should never lead us to conclude that politics no longer matters.
My experience tells me precisely the opposite.
Politics still matters because it shapes people’s everyday lives. It influences the quality of our schools, the strength of our NHS, the future of our high streets, the homes we build, the jobs we create and the transport on which people depend.
When politics works well, communities prosper. When it fails, ordinary people pay the price.
Democracy begins on the doorstep
Some of the most important political conversations never happen in Parliament.
They happen on doorsteps, in cafés, community centres, places of worship, workplaces, schools and local businesses.
Over the years, I have knocked on thousands of doors. Every conversation is different. Some people want to talk about crime. Others raise housing, schools, jobs, transport or the cost of living.
What these conversations have in common is a desire to be heard.
Politics begins with listening.
That is one of the most important lessons I have learned as a Labour campaigner, councillor and community representative. People do not expect perfection. They do expect honesty, respect and visible effort.
Above all, they expect those who represent them to listen and act.
The lesson of Makerfield
The Makerfield campaign reminded me why I entered politics in the first place.
Hundreds of volunteers travelled from across Britain. Some gave up weekends with their families. Others took annual leave from work. They did not participate because they expected recognition. They did it because they believed they could make a difference.
That is the remarkable thing about democracy. Ordinary people, working together, can achieve extraordinary things.
What inspired me most was not simply the campaign’s outcome. It was the people involved: young activists knocking on doors for the first time, experienced campaigners returning because they still believed, trade union members, small-business owners, councillors, students and retired volunteers.
People from different backgrounds worked together for a common purpose.
Politics is often criticised for dividing people. But it can unite people too.
Hope is a political force
Modern politics often rewards anger. Division attracts attention and negativity generates headlines.
Anger can mobilise people, but it rarely sustains a democratic movement on its own. The movements that endure are those that offer people a reason to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.
Hope is not naïve. It is not a substitute for hard decisions or serious leadership.
Hope encourages participation. Participation strengthens democracy. Democracy creates accountability. Accountability gives people greater confidence that government can respond to their concerns.
Without hope, people withdraw. When people withdraw, communities lose confidence in their ability to shape the future.
Political leadership should therefore do more than describe what is wrong. It should give people the confidence to believe that change is possible and the opportunity to help deliver it.
Public service matters
One of the greatest privileges of my life has been serving as a Labour councillor.
Local government rarely receives the attention it deserves, yet councils make decisions that affect people every day: housing, planning, parks, roads, libraries, environmental services, social care and support for vulnerable residents.
As a councillor representing Waterloo and South Bank, I see the importance of local representation every week. A resident’s concern about noise, housing, transport, safety or public space may not appear significant in a national debate, but it can have a profound effect on their daily life.
That is why local government must be treated as a partner in national renewal, not simply as an organisation expected to deliver more with fewer resources.
Power must move closer to people
Andy Burnham’s leadership creates an opportunity to put devolution and community power at the heart of Britain’s political settlement.
The decision to strengthen the Government’s presence in Manchester and revive the National Economic Council there sends a clear message: decisions about regional growth, infrastructure and public services should not be designed exclusively from London.
The Government has also spoken about moving power from Whitehall to the regions and applying the principle of devolution by default. That is the right direction.
But devolution must mean more than transferring responsibility. Local leaders and councils need the resources, powers and long-term certainty required to deliver.
The Local Government Association has warned that large-scale reorganisation of councils could create risks for essential services if timing, funding and workforce capacity are not properly addressed. That warning should be taken seriously.
Strong local democracy requires strong local institutions.
Participation must lead to delivery
People will continue to participate in politics when they can see that participation makes a difference.
That means turning promises into visible improvements: safer streets, better transport, decent homes, stronger high streets, accessible public services and opportunities for young people.
It also means treating residents as partners rather than passive recipients. Communities should have a genuine say in decisions that affect them, from the future of local parks and town centres to the design of housing and public services.
Listening is the beginning of politics, but delivery is what sustains trust.
Politics still matters
The answer to public disillusionment is not to abandon politics. It is to improve it.
We need politics that is closer to people, more honest about difficult choices and more ambitious about what communities can achieve together.
We need leaders who listen before they speak, councils that are trusted with real power and public services that are properly supported.
Most importantly, we need to restore the belief that ordinary people can shape the future of their country.
Politics still matters because the alternative is not neutrality. It is allowing decisions to be made without us.
Every conversation, campaign, community meeting, council case and act of volunteering is a reminder that democracy is not something that happens only in Parliament.
It is built every day by people who care enough to participate.
Hope is not the opposite of realism. It is the reason people continue to work for a better Britain.