Dialogue doesn't work where there is no will to engage

Dialogue requires listening to other points of view. It involves collaboration and the commitment of all parties involved to be prepared to suspend their own assumptions and to listen genuinely to different perspectives. It means a commitment to trying to understand why people might hold very different opinions.

From my perspective, Jeremy Corbyn has consistently tried to be dialogical. It could have been one of his greatest strengths but has sadly proved to be a fatal flaw, given the current political context.

The UK political system is adversarial  - based on one side scoring points over the other and trying to win an argument and persuade through arguments. It is not dialogical or collaborative.

Part of the UK context also includes newspapers that are primarily owned by a wealthy elite who have a vested interest in retaining and maximising the wealth of the owners. Interestingly, in the recent election, Liverpool, where ’The Sun’ (owned by Rupert Murdoch) is shunned, overwhelmingly voted Labour. The predominantly right-wing media has shaped popular perceptions of Corbyn as weak, a terrorist sympathiser and not to be trusted.

Dialogue works. It works in peace processes. It works in therapy. It helps heal divisions. But only where there is a will to engage.

Corbyn’s has attempted to be dialogical and collaborative both within the Labour Party (which, to be fair, has lots of divisions within it) and in his broader approach. His attempt to be inclusive led to the perception of him not dealing with the issue of antisemitism within the Labour Party. His appreciation that the UK has been divided over Brexit again has led to his even-handed position appearing to ‘sit on the fence’, leading to the perception of him being weak and undecided.

The UK is not yet ready for Corbyn’s style of leadership – unlike some Nordic countries, where his politics would seem reasonable, and certainly not extreme.

We now face at least five years of what may prove to be a repressive right-wing government that will do more to look after the wealthy than the poor, increase inequality and possibly lead us dangerously towards intolerance.

The Labour Party must find a way forward, in the face of a biased media an adversarial parliament and voting system that is weighed heavily against it. It may be even more unbalanced going forward, so progress for the party will not be an easy task.