The new politics may be more like the old politics than we assume
Our electoral system will force consolidation within the left and right blocs
Our electoral system will force consolidation within the left and right blocs

The country used to be contemptuous of parties on either extreme, but no longer

The current outdated system was designed for a very different era

New insights into motivation and strength of feeling could help democracy work better

Widespread disillusionment with Labour and the Tories is understandable

Our first-past-the-post electoral system cannot handle the new era of multi-party politics

The outer edges of both parties are overlapping on a growing number of issues