I’m Dr. Dan Lawrence, Reasearch Lead at Compassion in Politics and a psychologist and researcher. This summer I’ve been reflecting on a pivotal report from More In Common called ‘Shattered Britain’ and I thought I’d share those thoughts with you.
More in Common is an international organisation dedicated to building more united and inclusive democratic societies. In July 2025 they published a report based on polling responses from 20,000 British citizens. The report was titled ‘Shattered Britain’ a title that perhaps sums up how the UK is currently experienced by many. When the findings of the report are considered, this title becomes all the more fitting.
Eighty-seven percent of respondents reported having either not very much trust in politicians or none at all. Many people also believed that respect has become “decoupled” from contribution and that civic institutions do not respect them. People reported feeling worn down by political chaos and personal financial pressures, 70% indicated that they believe that the British financial situation is getting worse. Half of respondents believe the cost-of-living crisis will never end. Eight in ten Britons believed that the world is becoming more dangerous and many do not believe that the government is able to keep the country safe. This sense of threat was particularly acute in areas affected by economic dislocation. Among many Britons there was a feeling that they do not have control over their own lives and that they could be thrown off course by the next energy bill rise or interest rate hike. That feeling of lack of control extended to the Government - almost 75% believed that the Government does not have things under control. Many people reported their frustration that the Government is unable to deliver on many aspects of society. All of this has led to the sense that Britain is broken, with many believing that none of the traditional parties or institutions can fix it.
These findings are stark and perhaps create a sense of pessimism. However, they make it very clear that there is currently an overwhelming appetite for change to our political systems. We believe that this change needs to be rooted in the science of compassion. This becomes all the more apparent when considering some of the other findings presented in the report.
Among the findings outlined above, the NHS maintained a high level of trust, and scientists also retained public confidence. While many were concerned about the state of the country and anxious about the future, they had trust in their local communities. They also broadly support Ukraine and backed child vaccination programmes. Most of the public wanted to see the UK do its bit to help those in need and act as a global leader to use its influence for good.
Taken altogether these findings speak to the need for greater levels of compassion in our political space. The benefits of compassion are rooted in scientific evidence and inform the work we do at Compassion in Politics. At the heart of compassion sits the importance of affiliative connection and relationships between people which fits with the public’s trust they have in their own communities. Compassion is defined by its empathic focus on noticing and alleviating or preventing suffering, which resonates with the public’s trust in our NHS and desire to see the UK do its bit to help those in need, as well as its support for Ukraine. We recognise this at Compassion in Politics and also recognise the public lack of trust in politicians and the sense of threat experienced by the general public. It is for these reasons that we have launched a campaign to ban politicians from deliberately misleading the public and believe this is the way to begin to repair the broken trust. In collaboration with the Jo Cox Foundation, we have also launched a ‘civility pledge’ which calls for a greater emphasis on civility within the political space. We believe that by being more civil, politicians can lead by example and model how to respond to conflict and hostility with dignity and respect and in a way that reduces rather than inflames a sense of threat.
It is clear to us that the British public not only want change in the political system that is meant to serve them, but there is an increasing desire for compassion to sit at the heart of this change.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Kind regards,
Dr. Dan Lawrence
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