“Caroline Lucas: The Unfulfilled Potential of Britain’s Best PM”

Caroline Lucas: The Best Prime Minister Britain Never Had and the Changing System

Introduction

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, has been hailed as the best prime minister Britain never had. Her bold and gentle way of embodying the possibilities of better politicians and politics has inspired many people in the country. However, her decision to step down from politics has led to discussions about the need for change in the political and democratic system. This article discusses Caroline Lucas and her potential, the political system, and the changing tides of politics in Britain.

Caroline Lucas’ Potential

Caroline Lucas has demonstrated that politicians and politics can be better. She showed that meaningful change needs a vision of a good society, bold policies, and strong alliances to achieve. As the lone Green MP, Lucas embodied those traits and more. She had to forge alliances with other MPs to accomplish bills and campaigns on various issues, from stopping fracking to reversing the privatisation of water companies.

Indeed, Lucas brought incredible energy and ambition into her quest for building a better society. Her perseverance in this pursuit was admirable. However, like other political humans, she has reached her limit, and her stepping down highlights how the political system wears down even the most inspiring and purposeful leaders.

The Broken Political and Democratic System

The political and democratic system in the UK is broken, failing to nurture and support politicians like Lucas. It hoards power at the centre, protects its interests, and opens itself up to the wealthy and powerful. Moreover, small factions can win control of parties and ruthlessly exploit their position, while the party puts its interests before the country.

The system fails to produce MPs who are not identikit, that meekly follow the whip, and do not prioritize country over party. Meanwhile, formal politics and Westminster still remain essential in how the country regulates society, the economy, democracy, and public money.

The Changing Tides of Politics in Britain

The departure of Lucas and other compelling MPs indicates the changes coming to the political landscape in Britain. The people are picking up the torch beyond the walls of Westminster in different forms, such as campaigns and movements. The need for proportional representation to create a fairer electoral system that brings in other voices is becoming more recognized by the overwhelming majority of Labour members and unions. In the May local elections, thousands of activists and millions of voters campaigned and voted tactically for change.

Moreover, political experiments such as the primary being tested in South Devon and the growing movement for B Corp status to build an economy that is more in tune with the planet and its people lead the change beyond Westminster’s formal politics. The growing number of people on the streets for Extinction Rebellion shows the changing tides of politics in Britain.

Conclusion

Lucas showed us that politicians and politics can be better with a vision of a good society, bold policies, and strong alliances to achieve it. While the political and democratic system has failed to nurture and support inspiring and purposeful leaders like Lucas, the changing tides of politics beyond Westminster’s formal politics indicate a promising future. Indeed, we need to recognize that change can come from outside the formal political system to reshape politics and democracy so that our society can move forward.

Neal Lawson is the director of the cross-party campaign organization Compass.