Citizens UK signs joint letter: We need a national effort to rebuild communities after riots

Citizens UK signs joint letter: We need a national effort to rebuild communities after riots

We watched in horror at the scenes of racist, Islamophobic and anti-immigrant violent disorder across the country last week. We stand in solidarity with communities, neighbours, friends and colleagues, with those who have been directly intimidated, and with those who now feel less safe.

But as Remona Aly (Opinion, 8 August) rightly points out, there have also been rays of hope. The scenes of community spirit to rebuild broken walls in the aftermath of violence in Southport. We’ve heard stories of young people using their drone skills to play a neighbourhood watch role, and keep their neighbours safe. And last Wednesday night we saw thousands take to the streets in solidarity with those at the sharp end of these attacks.

Lots of this is a spontaneous bubbling up of community spirit. In some ways, the events last Wednesday night, and everything that led up to it, felt like one of the first steps towards a country serious about the shared endeavour of national renewal.

If we’re serious about mission-based government and a more collaborative democracy, it is going to require a national effort, and the response last week was an example of that – but it could go further.

The government should launch a “build back stronger” inquiry on the ways that it can further enable society-wide partnership to collaboratively rebuild communities. Importantly, this shouldn’t just draw from the great and the good, but include the citizens who have shown such leadership. It should make recommendations on the ways in which we can learn from the past few days. Crises can bring people and institutions together in ways that before felt unimaginable. We saw it during Covid. But then they dissipate. We shouldn’t let that happen this time around.

Polly Curtis Demos
Tim Davies-Pugh Power To Change
Chine McDonald Theos
Su Moore Jo Cox Foundation
Halima Begum Oxfam GB
Matthew Bolton Citizens UK
Will Brett and Deana Bamford We’re Right Here
Emily Bolton Our Future
Tony Armstrong Locality
Jon Alexander New Citizen Project
Hannah Peaker New Economics Foundation