Dear John,
Today marks the dawn of a dangerous new era for global democracy. Donald Trump has taken his oath of office and, once again, sets out on a journey that is sure to turn the world upside down.
The inauguration’s guest list paints a telling picture of the priorities of the new regime. The new social media magnates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok’s Zhou Zi Chew); senior players from the oil and gas industry; and that pillar of the traditional right-wing press, Rupert Murdoch are there to pay tribute. Power and wealth matter over all else.
Paired with Trump’s promise to be a “dictator on day one” this offers a worrying hint of what’s likely to come – an American oligarchy where power serves the wealthy few, not ordinary people.
Make no mistake: Trump’s return will send shockwaves in our direction too.
Here in Britain, this is our signal to batten down the hatches and prepare for stormy waters ahead. Trump’s second administration will embolden far-right politicians and right-wing media outlets in the UK. They’ll amplify his authoritarian messages and sow chaos and confusion with potent disinformation. They’ll bully our Government with tariffs and conspiracy theories, and expend dizzying sums of dark money to distort our democracy.
More of the UK’s media and politicians will “obey in advance.” They’ll align with the anticipated desires of the new President and his global far-right movement, even before they’re asked to. The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has already inexplicably and incredulously praised Trump as “gracious and generous.”
Trump and his far-right allies are products of a broken democratic system. America’s dysfunctional and toxic politics – not unlike ours in the UK – has bred distrust, creating fertile ground for extremism to thrive.
At Open Britain, we continue to build our movement, dedicated to defending, strengthening and renewing UK democracy. We can’t control what happens in the United States, but we know that to resist this tide of authoritarianism, Britain needs bold, systemic reform:
Campaign finance reform to rid our politics of dark money
New laws to hold tech titans like Elon Musk accountable for damaging our politics with rampant disinformation
Proportional Representation to give everyone a voice and make every vote count
