A Year in Review

2024: A Tough Year for Democracy

This year, nearly half the world’s population headed to the polls. That’s an incredible statistic, but the story behind it is more complicated. In the US, Donald Trump’s return to the presidency reminded us how populism continues to thrive on people’s frustrations and discontent. Across Europe, political turmoil was everywhere - from collapsing governments in France and Germany to the rise of far-right parties in countries like Romania.

Here in Britain, we saw Labour win a historic landslide under Keir Starmer, finally ending 14 years of Conservative rule. But beneath the surface, the cracks in our political system became even clearer. Labour’s two-thirds majority in Parliament came from just over a third of the vote - the least proportional election result in modern UK history. No wonder trust in politics is at rock bottom. And no wonder recent polling showed both Reform UK and the Conservatives outpacing Labour just months after the election.

Disillusionment is everywhere. From scandals about lobbying and MP perks to social media platforms spreading harmful disinformation, it’s easy to see why people feel shut out and ignored. And the consequences are serious: in August, we saw a wave of racist violence fuelled by conspiracy theories that spread unchecked online.

How Open Britain Made a Difference

In such a challenging year, we’ve been working harder than ever to push for the changes our democracy desperately needs. Here’s just some of what we’ve achieved:

Making the Case for Change: We’ve been tackling the root cause of much of today’s discontent - a political system that leaves too many people out in the cold. Alongside our allies, we’ve been working to show that democratic reform isn’t just a niche issue for wonks like us; it’s central to rebuilding public trust and creating a system that works for everyone.

Turning Up the Pressure: Before the election, our petition calling on Keir Starmer to back Proportional Representation got over 60,000 signatures. He hasn’t acted yet, but our campaign sparked a conversation that’s only getting louder.

Standing Up to the Far-Right: Nigel Farage and Reform UK have been gaining ground, but we’ve been calling them out every step of the way. Their promises might sound appealing, but they’re empty distractions from the real issues people face. We’re determined to keep exposing these tactics and stop Nigel Farage buying his way into Number 10.

Reaching More People: This year, we launched Ugly Politix, our Substack channel where we focus on some of the underlying issues we face (many related to the Farage and his far-right friends). It’s been a great way to connect with more people and keep the focus on how we can fix the structural problems in our democracy.

Building Support in Parliament: One of our biggest achievements has been setting up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections with our friends at Fair Vote UK. With over 120 MPs and peers involved, it’s already one of the biggest APPGs in Parliament, and is fast becoming a strong voice for change. In November, we worked with the APPG on Free But Not Fair, a major report that sets out a clear, practical agenda for democratic reform. I would urge you to read that report as it provides a comprehensive yet accessible summary of the key issues we face.

Looking Ahead

No doubt, 2024 has been a tough year, but it’s also shown what’s possible when we come together to demand better. Thanks to everything we’ve done this year, we’re heading into 2025 ready to accelerate our efforts, amplify our impact and make real progress in the fight to put ordinary people back in charge of politics.

Your support is what makes all our work possible. Whether it’s a one-off donation or a regular contribution, every bit helps us stay independent and effective. If you can, please consider supporting us this holiday season so we can keep fighting for a fairer, more inclusive democracy in 2025.

Thank you for everything you’ve done to stand with us this year. From all of us at Open Britain, we hope you continue to have a restful holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year.

Warmest wishes,

Mark Kieran

CEO, Open Britain