democracy

Went to a gathering of local authority people at the House of Commons. It was a mix of MPs like Grant Shapps, David Blunkett, Bob Neill, Caroline Flint, and councillors from all over. An opportunity to talk about the things that are concerning us, and swap ideas. It was worth the long queue through security.

On Saturday afternoon was in Cambridge: the very small but noisy EDL march disrupted the whole of the centre of town. Well policed, but it must have cost a lot.

The connection? - when times are tough and people are thinking about jobs, their children's future and the cost of energy bills, democracy needs to keep connecting with, and showing it can do something about what worries people. Otherwise, the rise of extremism...