When all we see before us is a dystopian hellscape with populists everywhere and everything we have ever valued (or taken for granted) about living in a liberal democracy where human rights are valued has suddenly turned on its head, we need a way of sorting things out.

A book published today, edited by our friend and regular contributor Paul Hindley and Ben Wood, seeks to provide some of the answers. When we speak of Freedom: Radical Liberalism in an age of crisis is published by Beecroft Publications in association with the John Stuart Mill Institute. The book has also been funded by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.

Vince Cable contributes a chapter on immigration, David Howarth on his speciality of the constitution, Andrea Coomber and Noor Khan from the Howard League for Penal Reform write about prisons. Timothy Stacey talks about liberalism as a “loving autonomy” in an attempt to show that liberalism’s passion and emotional relevance.

For me, housing has always been almost they key liberal issue to resolve. I know from my day job just how much misery poor and inadequate housing causes.  If you have a warm, comfortable home, everything else in your life is easier to sort, so Denis Robertson Sullivan’s chapter on that is of particular interest to me.

Former Labour MP Bob Marshall-Andrews, who joined the Lib Dems in 2017 takes the chapter on civil liberties. He is scathing about both his former party – the story about his conversation with his chief whip about civil liberties will, I suspect, surprise none of us – and outlines the means and methods used by various administrations to erode our civil liberties.

There are many more chapters covering  subjects such as the economy, ownership, the environment, federalism and the constitution and political reform.

Michael Meadowcroft says in his introduction:

Freedom cannot thrive in a community obsessed only with “means.” We need grand ends and compelling principles to make a better life and a better politics.

The “why” is always the most important thing about everything we espouse and tugging at people’s heart strings in a good way is so important now when everyone else is scaring them.

This book is a useful contribution to that mission. It’s certainly one that every liberal needs to read. You can buy it here and via other retailers.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social