The local election results left us in absolutely no doubt that the political landscape is shifting fast. Reform gains. Green gains. A more fragmented electorate. An unprepared Labour party. A growing sense that the old political rules no longer apply.
The rising support for nationalist parties is particularly worrying for charities, trade unions and campaign groups.
Growing support for authoritarian politics rarely bodes well for civil society – we only have to look abroad to see the impact – from restrictions on reproductive rights organisations and the closure of USAID in the US; to crackdowns on independent civil society in countries such as Hungary; and attacks on environmental and LGBTQ+ organisations under Georgia’s “foreign agents” law.
The warning signs are already here. Reform UK has proposed repealing employment rights legislation and weakening protections around sick pay, unfair dismissal, parental leave and trade union access. It has also called for dramatic cuts to overseas aid, pledging to leave international human rights frameworks such as the ECHR. It has criticised NGOs involved in refugee and migration issues, including bringing an end to those organisations that are “facilitating illegal migration”, plus threatened to open detention centres in areas that vote Green. Meanwhile, its hostile rhetoric towards marginalised communities, in particular Muslims, migrants and trans people, have fuelled hate crimes and social isolation.
This kind of framing contributes to a wider political climate in which civil society organisations across the board are portrayed as ideological actors rather than legitimate democratic voices. Similar narratives in other countries have preceded funding restrictions, tighter rules on free speech, increased political scrutiny and attempts to limit advocacy activities.
However, while these are deeply worrying times, the fragmentation creates opportunities for organisations that understand how to build trust across communities – through by-passing traditional political divides, shaping narratives that talk to people’s real experiences, then connecting and empowering them around shared aspirations.
At Agenda’s annual Changing hearts and minds event, we bring examples of organisations leading the charge in this area.
In 2024, Ailbhe Smyth from the successful Together for Yes campaign in Ireland showed us how values-led storytelling and lived experience can shift public attitudes on issues once seen as deeply polarising, while Celia Richardson talked us through the many ways in which the National Trust responds to attacks on their legitimacy.
Last year, we learnt about the emotional triggers that helped tackle racism thanks to a campaign by British Future, and how a Liverpudlian Mosque met hate with hospitality to calm tensions following the far-right riots.
Our forthcoming event on Wednesday 10 June will do the same.
We will hear how Gambling with Lives used the power of emotion to take on the might of the gambling industry; how the TUC worked with a variety of different civil society organisations to secure new protections at work as the Employment Rights Bill went through Parliament; and how Medical Aid for Palestinians developed a values-led communication response to defend humanitarian space, maintain credibility and stay grounded in their mission and values when their work and legitimacy was challenged.
And we’ll hear from the global charity, Irise International, about the real-life challenges and opportunities of building teams, partnerships and campaigns that genuinely shift power.
So if you want to discover what is possible through radical collaborative action, learn effective ways to respond when others are trying to restrict your work or silence your voices, or how to use shared messaging and strong partnerships to deliver results, get yourself a ticket today.
