Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned that economic insecurity, social fragmentation and declining trust are creating fertile ground for populist nationalist and far-right politics, arguing that stronger communities and co-operative ownership can provide a hopeful alternative.
In a message to Labour and Co-operative supporters, Brown said Britain is living through a period of profound change marked by “growing financial insecurity, macroeconomic disruption and a loss of trust in the institutions that once tied our communities together”.
He argued that the desire to understand those changes had increasingly been exploited by populist and nationalist movements offering simplistic answers.
Brown wrote:
“The immensely dangerous rhetoric of the right cannot go unanswered. Where their solutions sow division, ours must offer hope.”
The former Labour Prime Minister said one of the most important places to look for that alternative was within communities themselves and in giving people greater power over the decisions that shape their lives.
He said:
“A secure and prosperous society depends not only on the strength of our national institutions, but on the empowerment of all in every part of this country.”
Brown pointed to co-operative businesses, community organisations, housing co-operatives and community energy projects as practical examples of how power can be shared more widely.
He argued that these models can strengthen local economies while giving people a more direct stake in the institutions and services around them.
“Communities must have both the desire and the means to shape their own futures. This is where co-operative principles are vital.”
Brown acknowledged that co-operation alone cannot solve every challenge facing Britain, but said it should form an important part of a wider programme to build a more resilient and equal society.
He added:
“Without it we will struggle to build a society that is more resilient, more equal and better able to meet the considerable challenges ahead.”
Brown also reaffirmed his support for the Co-operative Party, saying he was proud to be a member and encouraging others to join and become involved.
The intervention comes as Labour places greater emphasis on devolution, community power and shifting decision-making away from Westminster under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Brown’s argument reflects a similar political philosophy: that rebuilding trust requires giving people a meaningful say over their communities, local economies and public institutions rather than relying exclusively on top-down government.
The former Prime Minister said he explores these themes further in his new book, The Future Starts With Us, while stressing that the work of building a different model of politics is already underway.
His message offers a clear challenge to the politics of division: answer insecurity not by retreating behind barriers, but by giving communities more power, ownership and reasons to believe they can shape their own future.
