The sickening flames of the riots may have burned themselves out, but the embers of hatred, frustration, and alienation still continue to shimmer under the ashes.
Given these underlying tensions, it’s not hard to see, given the context, how something similar, worse even, might arise again – and soon.
The easy thing to do is try to move on. Easy because to do otherwise is to embrace complexity, nuance and fundamental challenges and change.
But without a comprehensive response, we risk falling into a pattern of “sticking plaster politics,” where the true causes of unrest are neglected, and we end up in a cycle doomed to repeat itself.
Our new report, After the Riots, aims to understand the causes of the disturbing unrest we lived through this summer, and how we can begin to cure them.
The roots of these riots run deep. They are not the product of any one party’s rule; the rot stretches back decades.
That’s why we’re calling for a Public Inquiry into the Causes and Cures of Political Extremism, which would have the resource to really hear the voices and views of the people and communities most affected by and open to extremism.
So read the report here and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
I have made many attempts to obtain this report, for it sounds timely and important,but all have failed. Can you please help me?
Hi Robin, thanks for your interest in the paper! If you email us at info@compassonline.org.uk we can send a PDF directly to get around the issues you’re having on the website.
Yes, a powerful assessment. My thoughts are that here in the north east we should have an initial discussion perhaps based around your concluding questions and with a view to having a second session that begins scoping a regional agenda, and to do this with Kim McGuinness, mayor NE Combined Authority. I’m keen on decentralisng power so for me, the concept of an enquiry is less attractive than work at the local level that derives from what local people see as solutions. I’d be interested to know how you would factor in an action-outcome enquiry, as opposed to a put-it-on-a-shelf enquiry? Perhaps I’ve become too much of a sceptic?
thanks judy – i think the devolution of power is key – that should be a big demand of anything that arises from an inquiry and/or an assembly