Douglas Carswell

Grass roots growth

The media narrative has switched to Comrade Corbyn and Labour's leadership saga.  The professional pundits are spending their summer trying to explain a phenomenon they failed to see coming.  

The idea of politics as an authentic, grass roots activity, guided by a coherent philosophy is something they find baffling.

Meanwhile, here in Clacton last Friday evening over 110 local residents paid £10 a head to come to a fish and chip community supper.  The event was so popular, we had a waiting list.

The theme of the evening, on which I gave a little talk, was "Why we all need to cheer up!".  Think of it as Hayek and von Mises for everyone.  Optimistic, libertarian, unapologetically free market.  The world is getting better thanks to freedom and free trade.  In the era of ebay, Amazon and smart phones assembled through globalisation, these ideas have never been easier to articulate.

Of course, as everybody in SW1 knows, politics informed by a coherent philosophy is a complete no no.  Which is why most politicans keep patronising voters with empty soundbites.  

On the subject of empty, I gather there were spare seats at Yvette Cooper's big event yesterday.  Maybe they would have been filled if she had something to say?  

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