Liberal left 'out of step' with rest of Britain

Leftwing activists in Britain are less likely to work with their political opponents than other groups and more likely to think those holding different views have been misled, a study has found.

- Kiran Stacey

The study by the polling group More in Common finds that 8-10% of the population, whom they classify under the heading "progressive activists", hold strikingly different views on a range of issues from the rest of Britain.

The research also shows the group is more likely to dislike and criticise those that disagree with them than other voting blocs, a trait the report's authors argue has contributed to the repeated failure of progressive campaigns and the rise of the global far right.

Luke Tryl , an executive director at More in Common and co-author of the study, said: “Progressive activists are the backbone of many of the UK’s campaigning organisations and have often been the drivers of social change in the UK.

“However, their political outlook and approach to bringing about change makes them outliers from much of the wider public and those they are trying to win over.