Libraries, youth clubs, pubs, high streets—these aren’t just amenities. They’re where people connect, belong, organise, & feel seen. When these spaces disappear, so do the bonds that hold communities—& democracies—together.
Studies show clear links between the decline of public amenities & the rise of populist parties:
Pub closures → more UKIP votes
GP closures → far-right support
High street vacancies → Reform UK surge
Community infrastructure fosters civic trust, reduces isolation, & builds democratic resilience.
Its erosion fuels pessimism & populist thinking.
Investing in community—like parks, pubs, libraries & lunch clubs—promotes democracy & props up the lives of communities & citizens across the UK.
Today, the Bennett Institute for Public Policy has expanded to become the Bennett School of Public Policy, @cam.ac.uk
The Bennett School will continue to conduct leading public policy research, teaching & engagement, for the right kind of growth fairly shared.
Please now follow our work here.
Now the Bennett Institute for Public Policy is the Bennett School of Public Policy, follow us on our new Bluesky account where we've just posted about our latest podcast episode on #migration
bsky.app/profile/benn...
Populist politics is on the rise—from Trump to Reform UK.
Why? It's not just economic hardship or distrust in elites.
In a new blog, Rosa Marks argues something deeper is at play: the collapse of social & cultural infrastructure. 🧵
www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/social-...
. @michaelkenny.bsky.social recently visited the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Highlights included:
🌐 A keynote at the Lien International Conference
📚 A talk to NCPA Executive Master students
🤝 Productive dialogues with NCPA scholars