Yes we can: how the lessons from America should change British politics

The historic candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have played a huge role in galvanising progressive forces in the US. Spurred on by eight years of George W Bush in the White House, Democrats are offering a powerful and optimistic message of ‘hope’ and ‘change.’ But what lessons can British parties - especially a Labour Party more than a decade into government and lagging in the polls - learn from the American election? This Freethinking paper is based on detailed study and personal experiences of the current US presidential campaign. We argue that the modern campaigning tools and techniques deployed by the American candidates and parties – whether to raise money, mobilise and organise activists, or to reach out to voters – can offer important lessons for Britain. The full text can be downloaded from the Fabian Society website.