What attributes do you think good political writers should have?

Good political writers are those who, for a start, have a well thought-out conception of what a good society would involve and how we can advance towards it by means of political action.  They are sharply aware of the major barriers, and they can weave words together to present moving arguments or stories to make people think anew about what needs to be done. 

Voltaire provides an outstanding example of how a writer can exquisitely use a variety of forms – plays, history, polemical essays, stories – to show up how a ruling society with a set of unquestionable dogmas are laughable and damaging.  He popularised complex ideas to promote their adoption, he mocked with sardonic humour untenable defences of outmoded practices, and he captivated his readers with memorable depictions of scenes and characters. 

Mary Wollstonecraft is famous for inspiring the feminist movement, but she championed the rights of men as well as women.  In addition to producing powerful political arguments, she also wrote ground-breaking works on education, social commentaries on Scandinavian countries, and novels which dealt with not only gender but also class divisions. 

One of the most impressive examples of a top political writer is surely H. G. Wells, whose development of sci-fi writings as a form of socio-political criticism would by itself secure his status as one of the greatest political writers.  But we can add to that his reviews of the major political development of his time; proposals for international government; novels about love and social status; and accessible introductions to economics and world history.  Few can compare with him the range, depth, incisive analysis, innovative prescriptions, and originality he brought to his political writings.

How was your political ideology formed? 

My political outlook is shaped by many factors, but three probably stand out from the rest.

First of all, I would mention my father.  Although he never talked about politics (except for saying how dangerous it was – John F. Kennedy’s assassination was often cited), my father was always reminding me how important it was to follow the golden rule: do to others as you would have others do to you.  He said we must consider how we might feel if we were in others’ shoes.  Another favourite saying of his was that enough ants could bring down an elephant – in other words, what are small and vulnerable on their own can by working together overcome far more powerful forces. From an early age, I was disposed to think that people should look out for each other reciprocally, and cooperate to be stronger than they would be on their own. 

Next came the books I read in my formative years – writings by J. S. Mill, David Hume, George Orwell, Karl Popper, Voltaire, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Robert Owen, Francis Bacon, John Dewey, the Mohists, the Levellers, Albert Camus, Richard Rorty (I read them roughly in that order). These are a very diverse group of thinkers, but drawing from their insights and developing them into an ethos of responsible questioning of how society should change, laid the foundation of my own political ideas. 

Finally, my work in local and central government, with council leaders, Secretaries of State, political advisors, policy chiefs, public officials at all levels, helped me understand how politics actually works in practice.  So many people repeat misguided generalisations about politicians or dismiss government initiatives without any knowledge about them.   Twenty years as a senior public official also meant that I was able to discover at first hand how my political thinking can be translated into actions that impact on people’s lives.

What would you say to someone who thinks that getting involved in political writing is a waste of time, as it won’t make a “real” difference to society? 

Think of all the people who give what may in a broad sense be called ‘medical advice’. Some of them are learned experts who prescribe what have been well tried and tested. Some recommend drugs that are appropriate but unfortunately are in short supply.  Some know only a little and talk in vague generalities that are not really useful to anyone when a real problem arises.  And some are rightly suspected as mere quacks. 

So does medical advice help people? 

Obviously it depends on how good and relevant the advice is. It’s the same with political writing. If it contains sound ideas, expresses them in an engaging manner, and prompts the reader to consider how they may relate to contemporary problems, it will make a difference. Of course the precise impact will vary in qualitative and quantitative terms. 

There are political works that nudge people to think more deeply about the challenges facing their society; some target a small readership in setting out alternative approaches; and there are those that help to transform the outlook of a generation. Nearly every reformist will list amongst their sources of inspiration political writings they have read. But even if what one writes widens the interest and understanding of just a small number of people in why and how political improvements should be pursued, that would be a difference well worth making.