This month marks seven years of Compassion in Politics
It began, as so many good things do, around a kitchen table. A few of us, drawn together from different corners of life and politics, found ourselves asking the same question: what if compassion were not an afterthought in politics, but its guiding principle? There was no grand plan at first, just the quiet conviction that public life could be kinder, more honest, and more human. From that conversation, Compassion in Politics was born.
Seven years on, we’ve shown what that looks like in practice
Our campaign to prevent deliberate political deception is being adopted by the Welsh Government. More than a hundred MPs and peers, from all parties, have signed our pledge to bring greater civility and respect into public debate. Almost a quarter of a million people have joined our campaign to make lying in politics illegal. We’ve supported and helped run cross-party parliamentary groups, submitted evidence to inquiries, and worked with politicians and campaigners who share our belief that empathy and integrity matter.
We’ve spoken out against the conflict-based dysfunctional way our politics is conducted and put solutions in front of the government. We’ve convened other democracy sector organisations to ensure greater collaboration and cut-through. We’ve spoken out for those who protest peacefully.
We’ve provided compassionate leadership and resilience training for those working in politics in Westminster and abroad. We’ve advocated for Compassion on the global stage, speaking at conferences around the world and will be at the UN in Thailand again this January to talk about the role of compassion in building peace.
Support Compassion in Politics
For seven wonderful years we’ve had the joy of working alongside 55 incredible Partners, because everything we do, we do together.
We have built a global network of academics, advocates and supporters like you. And we are so grateful!
Collaboration is at the heart of how we work and the heart of the politics we want to see come into being.
These and other achievements, different in scale and shape, all reflect the same truth: compassion is not a soft idea. It is the hard work of building a society that treats people with dignity.
And yet, as we celebrate what we’ve achieved, the challenges ahead are sobering. Across Europe, the far right is growing — fuelled by fear, resentment, and the language of division. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’ party didn’t triumph as expected, but they still gained troubling ground. In the United States, the possible return of Donald Trump reminds us how fragile democracy can be when truth is eroded and cruelty rewarded.
These aren’t abstract trends. They shape the air we breathe — the tone of public life, the way we speak to each other, and what we come to accept as normal. That is why our work continues with even greater purpose. Compassion in Politics has always been cross-party, because compassion itself doesn’t belong to one side. It’s the common ground on which democracy stands.
So as we mark our seventh birthday, I want to thank you. You’ve helped us hold the line against cynicism and hate. You’ve believed that politics can still be a force for good — and that belief matters more than you might imagine.
If you share our belief that compassion and truth must guide politics, please consider joining as a member. Every new voice strengthens the movement for a fairer, kinder democracy.
With gratitude and determination,
Jennifer Nadel
Co-Founder & CEO
Compassion in Politics