It is tempting to get caught in a doom spiral of negativity. From the cost of living crisis, the social crisis and the sewage scandal, to wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, a chaotic second Trump Presidency and a looming climate crisis, there is a lot to feel negative about. But liberalism is first and foremost a political outlook of optimism, positivity and goodwill. Conservatives, nationalists and hardline socialists trade in fear and division, whereas we liberals trade in hope. The hope that things can and indeed will get better.

Britain has never more needed radical liberalism. Liberalism when it is at its most radical challenges the political status quo, champions rights and freedoms across society and is tireless in the advancement of social justice and greater equality. Above all, we place our faith in the individual. That each and every individual shall have the power, resources and opportunities to maximise their life chances to the full. Liberalism is bold, ambitious, optimistic and radical, or it is nothing.

It is in this spirit that the John Stuart Mill Institute, alongside the Social Liberal Forum, shall be hosting an online Radical Liberal Summer School event from Monday 11^th August until Wednesday 13^th August 2025. The theme for our Summer School is “Power in the Liberal Tradition”. Across the three days, we will bring together some of the leading liberal and progressive politicians, academics and activists from across Britain (and beyond). They shall be discussing a range of topics including individual empowerment, the economy, liberal history, international affairs, local democracy and the natural world. The sessions of the summer school shall take the form of speeches, lectures, group discussion panels and seminars. Summer School attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the online seminar sessions, as well as to ask questions to our speakers and panel members.

We already have a large range of speakers confirmed for the event. Since the John Stuart Mill Institute is a non-partisan think tank, our speakers range from established Liberal Democrat names to those of other progressive parties and political campaign groups. We are delighted to be joined by the Liberal Democrat MP Bobby Dean, the Liverpool Liberal Democrat councillor Carl Cashman and the former MPs David Howarth and Michael Meadowcroft. From beyond the Liberal Democrats, we are delighted to be joined by a couple of senior representatives from the Green Party, the former Green Party leader Baroness Natalie Bennett and the former Green MEP Molly Scott Cato.

Amongst our other confirmed contributors, we have the Deputy Director of Compass, Frances Foley, the economist Vicky Pryce and Bright Blue’s Head of Research Bartek Staniszewski. We shall also be joined by a series of leading academics including Stuart White, Peter Sloman and Emmy van Deurzen, while from the United States we shall be joined by Helena Rosenblatt and Matt McManus.

The Radical Liberal Summer School promises to be three days of thought-provoking discussion and political analysis. It aims to challenge our understanding of liberalism, broaden our political horizons and apply radical liberal solutions to the problems of the day. Across a wide range of topics, along with a range of speakers that span the progressive political spectrum, we hope that this event will provide intellectual stimulus, hope and optimism for all Liberal Democrats and all liberals across British politics. We very much hope that you will be able to join us.

If you would like to sign-up to the Radical Liberal Summer School, please follow this link.

* Paul Hindley is a Liberal Democrat activist and a supporter of the Radical Association from Blackpool. He is the co-editor of When We Speak of Freedom: Radical Liberalism in an Age of Crisis, which was published earlier this year.